


Steal your way in

by Salt_Blossom



Category: Persona 5, Super Smash Brothers
Genre: CONGRATULATIONS PERSONA FANS, Gen, NOTHING IS SAFE FROM SMASH AT THIS POINT
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-07
Updated: 2019-02-10
Packaged: 2019-09-13 20:20:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 29,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16899246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Salt_Blossom/pseuds/Salt_Blossom
Summary: The latest newcomer to the Super Smash Brothers roster has been announced. But instead of introducing himself like the others, he decides to try something a little unorthodox...





	1. Act 1

This labyrinth was nostalgic, the thief reminisced. Tight corridors coloured in dull greys, an omnipresent high-technology security system, sharply dressed guards patrolling the rooms with almost robotic-like moves. The scent of dirty money permeated every patch of air. It reminded him of a lesser, yet not insignificant, heist conducted a few years ago.

Of course, he and his companions had been relatively inexperienced then. They lacked the tricks of the trade. This time, though? While the labyrinth was sizable, the difficulty was almost trivial.

Perhaps it was a testament to their skills, or that whoever was in charge of this place clearly had gone unnoticed in their deeds. The thieves never would have discovered this place if not for that tip-off from the mysterious floating being.

With a snap of his fingers, he conjured up a wave of fire, enveloping the brutish guard in front of him. The hulking man screamed and flailed as the heat consumed him. The thief then raised his trusty handgun and fired once. The guard fell over backwards, a gaping hole in the centre of his head. His body immediately began decomposing into a puddle of thick, oily goo.

Smirking, the thief strode past the mess and pushed open the double doors in front of him. He walked in, took in the sights and grinned.

"Too easy!" A blonde boy behind the thief crowed. "So, this is the treasure room, huh? It's got the floaty thing too. Really takes me back."

"Careful, Skull." A brunette in a matte-black bodysuit warned. She was just behind the thief, the picture of a lancer behind the trusted leader. "There may still be enemies up ahead."

"It's okay, guys!" A young girl called from the back. She gave them a grin and quick thumbs up. "Already scouted out the room. We're in the clear."

"Nice, Oracle!" Skull matched her thumbs up with his own.

"I must say, the décor in this place is rather tacky." A girl in a black mask noted, walking in with her companions. "Big Bang Burger is less outlandish than this."

"I agree, Noir." A tall boy in a fox mask noted. He rested his hand beneath his chin for a moment, before reaching for a small notebook and pen. "Still, the Metaverse provides it with a degree of uniqueness. Fixing its mistakes will provide me with a good exercise, I feel."

A girl in the red catsuit shuddered at the contents of the room. "Ugh, I'm getting some real unpleasant flashbacks." She lifted up her whip. "Kinda tempted to smash up some of these statues, to be honest."

"I understand how you feel, Panther." The girl in the black bodysuit said. "But we shouldn't try and make a commotion now. Save it for the last stage."

"Sorry, Queen." Panther said, sheepishly.

The thief, remaining silent, continued to observe his surroundings. His vision flickered from object to structure and those in between. His thoughts churned as a dozen different plans competed for attention and effectiveness inside his head. Throughout it all, he kept a steady, neutral expression.

He was snapped out of his concentration by a black cat-like figure trotting up to him. "Morgana." The thief stated.

"What do you think, Joker?" Morgana asked. "The usual?"

"I suppose. Once we steal the treasure, I'm allowed in." The boy named Joker said. He almost sounded disappointed. His tone then became inquisitive. "Although…"

"Oh?" Morgana said, recognizing his leader's thought patterns.

"There is this interesting idea I'd like to try." Joker said, raising a finger. There was a ghost of a smile playing at his lips.

The cat smiled in response. "Do tell."

Joker waved for his companions to come forward, before quickly voicing his idea. By the time he was done, his companions' bright smiles were matching his own.

"Dude, that's awesome! Man, if only we could see the looks on their faces!"

"It sounds really fun! Beats just sending the thing through the mail."

"It's unorthodox, but that is the way things should be. I approve."

"Oh, that's so like you, Joker."

"You know me well, Queen." Joker said. "So, any objections?"

"I don't have any."

"None!"

"Nope."

"Zilch."

And thus, a consensus with reached. Accepting it, Joker adjusted his mask. He stared at the floating mass in front of him and let loose his smuggest grin that day.

"Right then, there's a lot to be done. Phantom Thieves, we're pulling out!"

"Roger!" his companions cried.

* * *

Travelling between dimensions was difficult. Sending messages through them, electronic or not, even more so. Thus, the monthly Mail Day at the Smash Mansion was considered a momentous occasion.

True, some of the Smashers had friends or family members who came to live with them in the Smash Dimension, but even more had to stay behind at their homes due to other commitments. It was always a pleasure to hear from the latter, especially when they sent gifts.

So when the mailmen dropped off the parcels and letters this time, the Smashers were excited, but didn't consider the occassion unusual. Sure, sometimes a couple of weird packages would get caught in the mix (the less said about Bayonetta's weapon commissions the better), but for the most part everyone was too busy collecting their stuff or questioning their fellows about said stuff.

It would be nearly an hour later when Isabell—one of the latest newcomers and a generally helpful young lady to boot—went back to the front to clean up any mess, only to find a single parcel untouched.

"Excuse me!" she said, walking into the living room with the object. A small group of Smashers were lounging around, enjoying the lazy weekend. The television was on and a couple were playing the latest go-kart racing game. "Does this belong to anybody?"

She was met with a round of shaking heads and shrugs.

"Red and black packaging…" Robin murmured, looking up from his book, "Who could it belong to?"

"Maybe it belongs to the giant cat Pokemon that just moved in? It matches the fur." Pit the angel suggested.

A certain Electric-type rodent elsewhere in the room made some vague squeaking noises. No translator was present, but it was safe to assume that he/she was mildly offended by the angel boy's statement. The other Smashers offered some other suggestions, but none of them seemed conclusive.

"Wait, I think there's something on the side." Isabelle said, turning the package over. "It says…to the entire Smash Mansion?"

That got everybody's attention.

"That's-a new." Mario said.

"Could it be a trap?" Shulk wondered.

Falco snorted. "Remember the last time someone tried to take us all on? Yeah, doubt anyone would be stupid enough to try again."

Princess Rosalina sighed, resisting the urge to place a hand on her forehead. "Falco, we almost all got killed."

"We still won, though." Falco argued.

"That's not the point."

"I don't think it's a trap." Link said. "It's too direct. At the very least, they'd given it to one person only."

"Yeah, it could really just be an ordinary package." Shulk agreed.

"Well, we're not gonna get anywhere just speculating." Princess Daisy suggested, gesturing to the package. "Let's all open it together."

Isabelle nodded and brought over the package to the table in the center of the room. All the other Smashers stopped what they were doing and gathered around the package. They watched with anticipation as Isabelle gently removed the ribbon on top. Several gulped, but nothing happened. She then tore away the packaging and placed her paws on the box lid.

Behind her, Shulk's eyes flashed blue. Sweat poured down his brow and he made motions to back away. In that same moment, Isabelle took off the lid.

"Oh my, what's this—"

Those words were the last thing everyone heard before their vision collectively erupted into a smorgasbord of crimson, black and cardboard. Isabelle, being at ground zero, promptly blacked out.

When she came to, she was sprawled on the ground with a pounding headache and patches of black in the corner of her vision. She moaned and rubbed her eyes with her paws. Several hard objects slid off her face. She would've liked to say this was the first time something like this happened, but when she recalled her university days, well…

Shaking off the unpleasant memories, she propped herself up and took a good look at her room.

The entire room was coated in cards. _Excuse me?_ Isabelle thought to herself. She rubbed her eyes and looked again. The entire room was still coated in cards. They were small rectangles, shaped much like business cards. Their color was that of the packaging—crimson and black. And they were everywhere. On the carpet, beneath the table, atop the television. Some were even balanced atop the ceiling fan.

The entire package had been filled with the things, Isabelle realised blearily. Every last square inch had been concentrated cardboard. Opening the lid had triggered a mechanism, similar to a jack-in-a-box, sending the contents of the box skyrocketing. She glanced around the room and noticed that most of her fellow Smashers weren't exactly pleased with this.

"What the fu—"

"My hair! They're in my hair? I spent an hour working on this!"

"Ow! There's one down my back, too!"

"Bleh. It tastes awful!"

"When I get my hands on the bastard who did this—"

To add insult to injury, the stench of ink and paper fiber was now everywhere. Isabelle's nose twitched. She realized she was about to go into a sneezing fit. She opened her mouth to warn her friends, and then it began.

Robin, on the other hand, blinked, patted his clothes down and retrieved one of the cards that had landed between the pages of his tome. He studied it for a moment. Clearing his throat, he began to read.

"Take your heart, goes the title." He began, "Dear all Smashers. There is one among you who is a complete villain of greed. However, it is no ordinary greed. This villain is responsible for the grievous crime of constant tax fraud. We know who that person is and that person knows who they are as well."

"Tax fraud?" Princess Daisy coughed. "Say what?"

"Such acts are taking valuable resources from the federal department, which are needed to assist the poor. That's why we have decided to steal those twisted desires and make you confess your sins. This will be done tomorrow, so we hope you are ready. Signed, the Phantom Thieves."

Utter silence followed the end of Robin's reading.

"It seems to be a calling card. They are what gentlemen thieves left behind after their heists." Robin explained. "The way all the letters are cut from different newspapers is interesting. I don't believe I've seen anything like this before in my home world."

The Smashers took this interesting piece of trivia in. They predictably ignored it and began shouting again.

"What. What is this? What the utter hell is this?"

"By the gods, it was some sort of elaborate prank after all!"

"Tax fraud? Hey, aren't there a few criminals in this mansion?"

"No." Falco said, crossing his arms. "If there's anyone guilty of tax fraud, it's the damn bureaucrats."

"I…I would never do such a thing!" Isabelle sputtered, turning red beneath Falco's stare. "Not only is it illegal, it's highly immoral! I'm shocked, Falco!"

She was supported by her red-shirted mayor, who nodded fervently and shot Falco a glare so acidic it could have melted the wings off his ship.

"I'm just saying…" Falco said, frowning. "That, or the royals."

"Oi, bird boy, you wanna come over and see that to my face?" Princess Daisy groused, a vein pulsing in her forehead.

"I don't even deal with economics that much…" Princess Rosalina muttered.

"Guys." Pit said, "We have a bigger problem. Who's going to clean all of this up?"

More silence as the weight of the angel's words settled in. Then, Falco raised his hand (wing?) and uttered the two powerful words. "Not me."

"Not me either!" Shulk yelled.

"Or me!" Pit shouted.

"Hey, you just can't say that!" Link said.

"Well, we just did!"

"Oh no, if Peach sees-a this…" Mario sighed.

"Pika Pika Pika!"

"Everyone! I just heard this loud explosion from upstairs—" The newly arrived Lucina peeked her head around the doorframe and her thought processes screeched to a crashing halt. Her jaw dropped. "Goodness, what on earth happened in here?"

The room descended into a chorus of arguing. One side declared themselves immune to the idea of cleaning up. Another wanted to grab everyone in the room and send them to collect dustpans and brooms. Some wanted the Hands to take care of it, others were trying to tiptoe out of the room as quietly as possible.

Amidst the noise, there was one character who went unnoticed. A single Smasher who said nothing and reacted to nothing, save for staring at the pile of calling cards. Their disjointed words on the cards flashed through his mind over and over. It soon became the only thing he could think about.

* * *

Deep within the reaches of the collective unconsciousness, a lone, reptilian figure sat behind a varnished, mahogany desk. Surrounding the room were statues and trophies representing his glory, shining figures of gold and silver. A portrait of his most dignified moment hung behind the velvet-lined chair.

The reptilian closed his eyes and breathed thick smoke out of his mouth. He then stabbed his expensive cigar into an ash tray, crushing the bottom half. Golden eyes seared with a truly intense hatred as he slammed his fist on the desk. His nameplate trembled. On the other side, a pile of important paperwork unbalanced themselves and fell to the floor.

" _So, those pathetic humans think they can get me to confess to my crimes?"_ The shadowy figure of Yoshi growled. _"Do they realize just how many times I've avoided the IRS? Not even the gods are a match for me. I haven't been beaten by anyone and I don't intend to start now! Bring it on, Phantom Thieves!"_

_**ALERT LEVEL: 99.9%** _

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this meme is already on its way to the grave but I still find it kinda funny so IDK
> 
> Also, congratulations on Joker for getting into Smash! Persona 5 is a pretty good RPG, you know. Maybe you should play it.
> 
> This is my first time writing the P5 characters so I dunno if I did it well. I also challenged myself to write this out quickly. Please give feedback and stuff.


	2. Act 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me after writing the First Chapter: Haha well that was fun I hope we see a trailer for Joker soon. Time to write some Drakengard.
> 
> Me 24 hours later: Wait, people want a continuation what.
> 
> So, here we are. Mild spoilers for Persona 5 below. There's nothing heavily plot relevant, but it does mention game mechanics and certain key themes.

_This is Bob._

_He's a mobster underling, likes beige suits and doesn't have a last name._

_He has also sustained severe damage to his skull, multiple fractured ribs and is currently dying of blood loss._

_How did this happen, you ask? Let's go back a few hours._

_The night was young and the city streets were bright. Bob and his friend Frank, dressed in matching suits and hats, sat beneath a low light, eyed the cards in hands. Beside them glasses were half-filled with alcohol._

_Bob hummed to himself, rubbing his pointed chin. The skin on his face was blotched red, an unfortunate aftertaste from his adolescent days. Above him, a fly buzzed in circles beneath the ceiling lamp._

_He sighed and laid his cards on the table. "Three kings." He said._

_Frank laid his own. "Four queens." He said, with the smile of the victor._

_Bob shook his head and shoved his pile of plastic chips across the beaten tabletop. "Fuck this game." He groaned. He pulled a lighter out of his pocket and lit a fresh cigarette. He inhaled and exhaled, savouring the familiar sting of the nicotine. His friend looked at him with sympathy._

_"Rough day, Bob?" He asked._

_"No shit, Frank." Bob said, slumping in his seat. "First I get called in at four in the fucking morning to hunt down some druggie, then the boss's right hand gets all uppity about those intruders sneaking around the joint. Spent an entire morning and afternoon on guard duty. It makes me wanna rip my damn hat in half."_

_For Bob to consider damaging his precious headwear, even out of rage, he must be truly frustrated. Frank ran a hand through his bleached hair and spoke. "I hear you mate. I've been doing back-to-back overnight shifts. Hardly get time to spend with the missus."_

_Bob rubbed tired eyes. He puffed on his cigarette, sending acrid smoke towards the top of the game room. "The sooner we bag those damn intruders the better."_

_"Speaking of which, have you seen the right hand lately?" Frank asked._

_"Search me."_

_"Wanna play another round?"_

_Bob shook his head and downed the remains of his drink. "Let's go to the bar instead."_

_Shrugging, Frank made to pack up the poker set. Together, the two men dusted off the table, placed away the glasses and switched off the light. They_

_They didn't get far before one of their fellows ran up to them, gasping for breath._

_"Bob, Frank!" He cried. "The intruders have arrived! Everyone in the floors below us was taken out!"_

_Considering that Bob was standing on the 10th floor, this was pretty disastrous news. Both men were so shocked that their tongues froze in their mouths._

_"We need to fortify this place, now!" The fellow continued._

_There was no time to waste. Bob, Frank and the rest of the underlings on the floor scrambled for their weapons, built makeshift barriers out of furniture and dug themselves into wait. The fortifications were divided into individual groups, each one with a sizable amount of firepower and means of communications via secured radio._

_Would it be enough to stop these mysterious intruders, who had been once been a thorn in the side of the organization and were now approaching terminal cancer status? A gut feeling inside Bob said no._

_His profession had always been a risky one. But as he had risen through the ranks of the organization, a haze of legwork and alcohol-intensive parties, the risk had begun to fade into the back of his mind. Now it had slammed back with full force, a devil whispering inevitability into his ear._

_"Don't worry, Bob!" Frank said, as he reloaded a six-shot pistol and spun the barrel. "We'll be fine. We'll shoot the shit out of those damn intruders and go home. Man, what a story this'll be for the missus!"_

_Frank's brown eyes were bulging. His voice was quaking. The guy was half a decade younger than Bob, with a family to boot. They had worked together for quite some time. If there was any one of them shitstains that deserved to walk out here alive, Bob would nominate Frank. In this situation, however, there was nothing he could do put a hand on his friend's shoulder._

_"Yeah, we will." He said, as he tried to keep his voice steady._

_A manic smile was all he received in response._

_An uneasy calm fell over the floor's occupants. Nothing to do except follow protocol.. Check the weapons, remember the exit routes and listen to his comrades over the radio. Repeat._

_Somewhere in the distance, the elevator chimed. The faint sound of steel doors hissing open could be heard._

_"They're here, they're here!" Frank moaned. "Oh man, oh man…"_

_Bob's grip tightened on his own gun. He placed his back against the table serving as a wall and lifted up his radio._

_"This is Team Delta. What's your status?" He said._

_"This is Team Alpha. We're heading to the elevator now." There was the shuffling of bootsteps, then a brief pause. "Strange, I can't see anyone. The place here is empty."_

_And then, immediately afterwards:_

_"Wait, I think I see something in the shadows. Oh. Oh shit. Oh shit oh fuck fuck—"_

_A sound like a miniature tornado blasted through the radio's speakers. A hiss of static and Team Alpha fell silent. Fear bloomed through Bob's system like a bloody flower. He switched to the other teams. He wanted affirmation and safety._

_He proceeded to receive neither._

_"This is Team Beta. Requesting backup! Requesting urgent backup! No, not the face—!"_

_"My eyes! They've got my eyes! Aaaah!"_

_"It burns! It burns!"_

_"Please don't kill me! Is it money you want? I'll give you money!" said a desperate member of Team Alpha. "I, um, don't have any cash on me. Can I write you guys a check?"_

_"No." said a cold voice._

_"…well, I tried."_

_A hail of gunfire followed the response. The radio dropped from Bob's hands and he didn't bother to pick it back up._

_"We're gonna die. We're gonna fucking die…" Frank gibbered, practically on the verge of hyperventilation. "God, why didn't I take sick leave today?" he sobbed._

_The silence that followed was stretched to breaking point. Bob slumped against his makeshift barricade, torn between contemplating his life and attempting to remember all the lessons from his time in the shooting range. He didn't think he sweated more in his entire life. Frank had raised his gun to his head, but at the last second had thought better of it. He now was hiding his head in his arms, trying not let Bob hear him cry._

_Footsteps approached. Rapid ones. Bob had just a second to tense himself up, lift his gun and shout a warning before his barricade exploded inwards. He flew backwards, tumbling on the ground into a painful mess. Upon slowing, he was promptly kicked in the face by a black, leather boot._

_There they were. The intruders. A boy in a black cloak and a masquerade mask, accompanied by seven others. Joker, Mona, Skull, Panther, Fox, Queen, Oracle and Noir, so the intel went._

_Joke, the leader, and Bob locked eyes. In that moment, Bob felt like absolute trash. The boy in front of him was young, cocksure and had surrounded himself with power. Bob, on the other hand, was alone with a defeatist and had a shitty little pistol as a weapon._

_That feeling was swiftly replaced by red-hot anger. How dare they? How dare these thieves break into his organization's stronghold, mess everything up and ruin his entire life. It drove his body, filled it with desperate energy. He dropped into a stance and pointed his handgun straight Joker._

_"Get on the ground, you bastards!" He shouted, "Or I'll—"_

_That was as far as he got before Noir's axe smashed clean through his skull. Fragments of bone and brain burst out in a gory firework and scattered in all directions. If one observed closely, they would have found a glint of elation within Noir's eyes._

_"Bob!" Frank screamed in terror. His face then contorted into one of murderous rage. Standing up, his body flared with an unearthly energy. He charged forward to the woman who killed his best friend. "You fucking monster, I'll—"_

_"Johanna!" Queen shouted._

_She ran Frank over with her Persona and that was the end of that._

_"Head straight for the treasure!" Joker yelled, as he and the rest of the Phantom Thieves ran past the fallen bodies. "No looking back!"_

_That is how Bob ended up the way he is now. The hallway is silent, save for the faint trickling of blood coming from the bodies. Can you recognize Bob or Frank? It is commendable if you can. The damage dealt to them has rendered their faces into meat pulp._

_Now, can the Phantom Thieves be blamed for this sociopathic, uncaring behaviour? Perhaps, if Bob and Frank were humans. But, they aren't. They are Shadows._

_There is much that can be said about Shadows, such as the fact they are suppressed human emotions given form. Through their lives, the Phantom Thieves have gotten very experienced at defeating Shadows. In fact, they have slain so many that it could be classified as minor genocide._

_Given that humans can be the cruellest creatures on planet Earth, it is understandable why most would consider Shadows to be a major threat to humanity. Thus, when a Shadows die, humanity as a whole rejoices._

_Let us send Bob and Frank off with the knowledge that their suffering has benefited humanity as a whole, mostly because the experience given to Joker will allow his current Persona to learn a new skill._

_(Isn't it sad, Shadows?)_

* * *

Mario groaned as he placed his plate of carbonara on the cafeteria table in the Smash Mansion cafeteria. He collapsed into his chair, eyes staring unfocusedly for a moment before getting his cutlery. His brother stared at him from across the cafeteria table, expression full of sympathy.

"Rough day, bro?" Luigi said.

Mario nodded and began to feed himself his pasta. Roll the noodles, dip the sauce, insert into the mouth, rinse and repeat. His movements could've given R.O.B a run for its money with how stiff and mechanical they were. An ungroomed mustache and dark spots beneath the eyelids indicated a damning lack of sleep.

Elsewhere in the room, a pair of commentators shouted from within a large, plasma television screen.

" _And now, Amsa grabs Leffen by the shirt and throws him into the air. He jumps lands a perfect up-air and OH MY GOD LEFFEN IS SENT FLYING OFF THE STAGE AND THAT'S THE LAST STOCK OF THE SET—"_

Super Human Comrades was a favourite sports program among the Smash Mansion, with its fast-paced matches and quality drama among the top contestants. Normally Mario would extend an ear, but right now his brain was pounding too much.

"Bro, do you want to see the doc?" Luigi asked, looking more concerned. "Because if you're feeling sick, I'll take you there—"

"No, I'm fine." Mario finally groaned. He downed a gulp of juice before speaking again. "I'm just very tired."

"About the whole tax fraud thing." Luigi stated.

Mario shook his head in exasperation. "Mamma mia, I never want to hear a word about that for the next few months."

Luigi had only heard about the card prank box incident through word of mouth. He knew what had gone down in the living room from Lucina, but as for what happened afterwards…

"That bad?" He asked, cautious.

"It's just been one big mess after the other." Mario admitted. He gulped down another mouthful of pasta and launched into an explanation.

After all the Smashers in the living room had calmed down, they had decided to clean up the room together, lest they face the wrath of Peach and the rest of the cleaning staff. Some, like Falco, had grumbled about the chore, but overall it had gone smoothly. That had been the easy part.

It hadn't taken long for a copy for those calling cards to be uploaded to the mansion's Ethernet network. The rumor of one of the Smashers being guilty of tax fraud had spread through the mansion like wildfire. Fingers of all species and sized were being pointed in all directions.

The so-called villains of the roster had been put under a particular large spotlight, much to their displeasure (and to the lack of surprise from everyone else). Bowser had ranted and roared while Ganondorf had scoffed. Wario had merely picked his nose and pranced off to his hideout, leaving behind several pungent farts in his wake. Wolf, in an attempt to deflect the criticism against him, had ironically tried Falco's method. He cornered Isabelle and the Villager had responded by shoving a cactus up his butt.

Several disagreements between fellow Smashers had also piggybacked off the controversy and made verbal. Now, the new Final Destination was booked to the limits, sending the maintenance staff into a tizzy.

And this would've been all fine. The Smashers were a rowdy bunch and Mario knew it. Incidents like this happened at least once a month. He could have waited out the mess, perhaps even spitballing about it over dinner with the others.

And then some utter, _fucking_ moron had leaked the incident to the press. Things had swiftly gone downhill from there.

As one of the original Eight, as well as one of the faces of the entire Super Smash Brothers tournament, Mario was expected to handle public relations. Nothing in his life had prepared him so such a role, but it had to happen anyway.

Unfortunately, this meant he had to park himself in a conference room, listen to the many questions of the journalists and respond in turn. He rested his hand on his brow, closed his eyes and sighed. Even now, he could hear their jeering calls.

" _Mister Mario Mario! Is it true that the Super Smash Brothers organization is guilty of tax fraud?"_

_"Any words onto the allegations that several members are secretly building up a terrorist organization?"_

_"Who are these mysterious Phantom Thieves?"_

_"Is it true that your longtime friend Geno will be joining the roster as a secret fighter?"_

" _Can I shake your hand? Don't worry, I washed it three days ago!"_

He teeth gritted. Vultures and crows, the lot of them! Was there no end to how fast their rumor mill could grind? It wasn't the first time he had been involved in a grilling from the public, but it didn't quell the temptations of throwing Cappy onto one of those sneering reporters and having them jump into the traffic!

As for those Phantom Thieves, if they were real…well, he wanted to introduce himself to them. Along with Mr. Left Fist and Mrs. Right Fist.

"Currently the main suspects are the villains, any of the royals, Snake, Isabelle and Captain Falcon." Mario explained. "None of them are talking and I'm not the man to make them."

"What did Master Hand have to say?" Luigi said, leaning further in his seat, curious.

"He actually quite calm about it." Mario said. This was the truth, even though every word from the floating hand always seemed to come from an invisible megaphone. "He told everyone not to worry and then said he had further business to conduct. The press conference ended from there."

"Is that so…"

"Master Hand works in mysterious ways. Whatever. I'm not going to ask him."

The two brothers continued to eat their meals in silence. Despite being dog-tired, Mario could still appreciate the cafeteria's food. With every bite of the delicious pasta, he could feel a bit of his strength returning. Half a plate later and he found himself able to engage himself in the usual atmosphere.

At the other side of the cafeteria, near the serving tables, Mario heard Fox groan and slam something down on the table. A quick look at the television confirmed it. The Japanese man known as Amsa had won the championship in a surprising upset. The long-established betting pool metagame was fracturing by the second. It has hard not to grin. Maybe he should pitch in a few coins next time.

"Hey bro." Luigi said, once their meals were over.

"Yeah?"

"Wanna go and see a movie in town later?" Luigi asked. "I heard from Fox they've got a pretty decent lineup this time."

Mario leaned back in his seat and sighed. "I dunno, Luigi, I'm probably gonna be busy…"

"C'mon, bro. It's only for a night. No-one's gonna blame you if you want to relax." Luigi pushed. He wouldn't do this for most—partly because he was timid at heart—but this was his brother he was talking about.

Temptation and duty battled themselves within Mario's thoughts. Then he realized that his duty was utter bullshit and there were others who could pick up the slack. "…alright, I'm in. Let's invite Peach and Yoshi too."

"Nah, Yoshi said he can't come." Luigi replied.

"Eh? Why not?"

"Said he was busy. He didn't say much."

Mario hummed. "Must be Yoshi Island business. He is the ambassador, after all."

"Hey, imagine if Yoshi was the tax fraud thief." Luigi suggested, grinning.

Mario instantly let out a bark of laughter. "Yeah, imagine! Imagine him swindling the IRS and making away with bags of cash!"

The two brothers chortled together. Because, honestly, the notion was so ridiculous. Come on, this was Yoshi they were talking about. He was many things—the cute green dinosaur of the roster, the hero the hero who had saved the Mario Brothers as children, a lifelong steed and the representative of the Yoshi Islands—but as a criminal committing tax fraud and other nefarious deeds?

Seriously, the thought of it was too funny!

* * *

Elsewhere in the mansion, a confrontation was occurring.

"Y-Yoshi?"

"Hi, Isabelle! What are you doing here?" The green dinosaur chirped.

"I heard loud noises coming from your room, so I came over to check." The secretary responded. She cautiously pointed to a machine in the middle of Yoshi's den. It was blocky, steel-grey and vibrating at a rapid pace. "What's that?"

"Oh, this? It's a shredder." The green dinosaur said, happily.

"I don't think I've seen a shredder like this before." Isabelle said.

"It's really good at what it does!"

But why would Yoshi need a hyper-advanced paper shredder that turned its papers into fine sawdust, was the million dollar question. Yoshi answered with, "I did some papers wrong so I decided to get rid of them!"

"And you didn't want to borrow the one in the library?" Isabelle asked.

"Nope!" Yoshi said.

Yeah, this was suspicious. The instinct that served Isabelle so well throughout countless meetings was blaring hot red. Isabelle raised her paw and thought about saying something. Another question, a gentle accusation, it was going to be important.

As she looked into Yoshi's innocent eyes and his wide smile, she began to reconsider. She went over the words in her head and what she knew about Yoshi since her arrival to the roster. Ultimately, she decided against it.

So what if Yoshi was touchy about his paperwork? It wasn't harming anyone. All the Smashers had their unique quirks; Mario was plumber who could somehow knock around skulls like nobody's business, while she was a hyperactive secretary with a work ethic that left all other administrative personnel in the dust. It would be hypocritical to call him out.

Plus, it's not as if shredding papers was wrong. Some information simply wasn't fit to be heard by the public. It was hard to remember that Yoshi was actually a government official.

"Okay!" Isabelle said, cheering up. "It's up to you, Yoshi. Are you coming to lunch?"

"Nope! I still have some stuff to do. I'll be down shortly!"

Isabelle nodded and left Yoshi's room. The green dinosaur kept up the happy smile all the way until she closed the door and her footsteps faded away. He locked the door shut, turned to the paper shredder and scowled. It was a dark expression that contorted the lines on his face into ugly ridges and grooves. A single look would send a hardened thug into sudden urination.

He shoved more and more papers into the shredder with the intensity of a desperate man. There was a grim satisfaction as the words and ink were reduced to a pile of fine dusts and fibers. He then scooped it all up, stormed across the room and pressed a button beneath his desk. A panel in the wall slid open, revealing a hidden furnace. Down the dust went. The flames rose hungrily at the meal.

Yoshi sat down in a chair and opened a laptop. It was a present from one of his friends back on Yoshi Island. The fellow dinosaur didn't know much about technology, but the device looked fancy so he bought it for the Smasher. However, he, nor the other denizens of Yoshi Island, knew that the device would come to host some truly terrible secrets.

Yoshi keyed in a twelve-digit password, then opened an application marked only for special occasions. A powerful signal was sent out from the Smash Mansion, undetected by even the most technologically adept Smashers.

Across the multiverse, high-ranking criminals received a video message at the same time. A figure cloaked in the darkness appeared on the monitor, its eyes pinpricks of searing flame. Fear contorted in the stomachs of those who gazed upon it.

"Code red, we have a code red, people! Perform a security inspection this instant. Get rid of anything possibly incriminating to our collective activities! Fire anyone who might pose threat and if they resist, dump them in a grave! Plug all the holes in your security systems!" The figure barked. "Use all the resources you have for this; it takes first priority. None of you better screw this up. I know where all your families live!"

* * *

Deep within the collective unconsciousness, the ground trembled beneath Joker's feet. It wasn't nearly enough to topple him, but it was a sign that time was running out for the Phantom Thieves. The host of the Palace—the labyrinth representing their twisted desires—must be growing desperate back in the real world. The notion brought a spiteful sort of comfort to him.

Regardless, Joker did not panic. Oracle's intelligence gathering had been top-notch as usual. He knew that his team was nearing the end of the Palace. Other tell-tale signs were present. Contorted architecture, crumbling walls and an abundance of enemies. Text and pictures on signs were garbled beyond recognizability.

"Intruders! Intruders!" A pair of guards yelled, tearing off their masks and changing their form into Shadows. The team quickly blew past them and raced down the last stretch of corridor. Standing before them was the double doors leading to the Treasure Room. Joker halted in front of it and turned to face his team.

"The Palace host is ahead of us. This isn't the first time we've done this, but it won't do to get overconfident." He announced.

"Our opponent is also a member of the Original Eight. No matter what form he's taken, he likely won't go down easy." Queen added.

"Are you all ready?" Joker said.

There was a round of nods and determined smiles. Though they were a ragtag bunch, built from the outcasts of society, their shared trial had molded them into professionals at the peak of their expertise. Not a single hint of hesitation could be seen within them.

"Lead the way, Joker." Queen said, giving her own confident smile.

Joker grasped the oak handles and pushed open the double doors. A brilliant light shone through the gap. He took a breath, then stepped forward to confront the foe on the other side.

He was back in the trophy room. Portraits of the palace's host adorned the walls, depicting triumph. Glass cases containing valuables—jewellery, historical artifacts and even portions of dead animals-lined the polished floor on stands. Each one had a bronze plague. The presence of gold and silver in the décor was blinding. It was arguable if royalty possessed exhibitions this narcissistic.

Off to the side of room, there was a miniature bar and an entertainment room containing games. It looked well used; clearly the owner enjoyed coming here a lot. Most notable of all, the shimmering mass had disappeared. It its place was a steel door, secured by many locks, both electronic and manual.

The rest of the Phantom Thieves filed in. They spread out, covering their leader and positioning themselves in preparation for an enemy attack.

A set of clipped footsteps from the back of the room drew the Phantom Theives' attention. Their enemy approached. A green humanoid-esque dinosaur, dressed in a stylish matte-black suit, a matching trilby and shoes made from fine black leather. A jewel-encrusted watch was wrapped around his right wrist and he was chewing on a thick, brown cigar. Most of all, bottomless malice radiated from a pair of golden eyes. It was darkness within Yoshi's heart: Shadow Yoshi.

Shadow Yoshi blew out smoke from his reptilian mouth. "So, you have come." He said, every word dripping with disdain.

"I don't suppose you'll surrender?" Joker said, cocking his head, arms folded. "Makes it easier on all of us."

"Oh please. As if I would give myself in to a mere batch of thieves. Not when I have crushed many who have opposed me." Shadow Yoshi spat. Behind Joker, Skull hissed, his fists vibrating with a slightly crackle of energy. Noir watched in silence, yet her hand drifted to the hilt of her axe.

"I must admit, I am curious as to why the Phantom Thieves targeted me, of all people." Shadow Yoshi continued. "Are there not more nefarious Smashers? What of Ganondorf, the King of Evil? Or Ridley, captain of the Space Pirates, who slaughtered an entire species?"

"Oh, you are plenty nefarious and we have not ignored their deeds." Queen said. "But at least the villains you listed have the decency to not hide their real self from the public."

"As for who led us to you, let's just say we got a tip-off from a certain individuals." Joker added. If Shadow Yoshi knew who this person was, he didn't show it. "By the way, you still haven't answered our first question. Are you going to surrender or are we going to have to pry that Treasure behind you from your unconscious hands?"

"You dare speak to me like that?"

"Considering that we are better than you, yes." Joker responded.

Shadow Yoshi growled. He tossed his cigar aside and strode forward, hands clenching into fists. His expression twisted with barely-restrained, animalistic rage. "First you lot break into my hideout, slay my employees and cause hundreds of thousands in damage. Then, you have the gall to do this over and over again over the course of a fortnight! And now, you want to steal what is most precious to me?"

He slammed his foot on the ground. The contents within the glass cages rattled. Joker merely looked straight ahead, not drawing his gaze from the Shadow.

"Do you all realize the extent of the time and resources I built into constructing my organization? The amount of reparations I will need to invest to fix the damage you subhumans have done?" Shadow Yoshi roared.

"Oh, boo hoo, you have to pay all that back from your stolen taxes." Panther snapped. She spread her arms out, slowly and dramatically. "Gee, look at how much we care."

"I am not letting you take anything else from me. I earned that money from my own blood, sweat and tears!" Shadow Yoshi shouted. "Honestly, do you people know who the hell I am?"

"A fraud and a criminal." Fox scoffed.

"And a real bastard who thinks he can get away with everything." Skull growled.

"I never expected the one who saved the Mario Brothers as children to be a villain." Noir spat. "Much less someone with an ego so wretched that he is willing to step on the hopes and dreams of the innocent!"

"We did our own investigation, you know. You're guilty, no doubt about it." Oracle said. "The IRS might not be able to arrest you, but that's why we exist."

"Your distorted desires end here, Yoshi." Joker finished. He pointed a gloved finger at the Shadow. "We know them, you know them. You can confess to your crimes and become a better person, or you can resist and have us beat the truth out of you. What's your choice?"

Yoshi screamed. He threw his hat to the ground and pulled at his suit. Shreds of fabric flew everywhere. The Phantom Thieves watched, impassionedly.

Yoshi then began to laugh. At first, it was a small giggle. It soon grew to a chuckle. He tipped his head back and howled at the sky. His eyes shone and his mouth was gaping open to reveal jagged, unwashed teeth.

"I choose a third choice!" He shouted. Darkness swirled around him, thick and oily. The Phantom Thieves instantly tensed up. Their hands reached for their weapons. "I will send you all to a shallow grave!"

The torrent consumed him, sending wind and unfiltered energy rocketing everywhere. The Phantom Thieves were forced to shield themselves from the blast. When it settled, they were staring down at a monster.

It was a cross between a dragon and a tyrannosaurus rex. A hideous, gargantuan reptile, with scales thick as iron plates and teeth sharp as swords. Seven veined eyes glared down from its head. A harness was attached to its back, on which atop rode a skeleton coated in blood-red flame and rubies for eyes.

"A…A Kaiju?" Skull exclaimed.

"No, it's too small!" Fox responded.

The beast roared and swung its tail, knocking down several displays and shattering the glass. Then, its mouth curled into a grin. The skeleton atop its back raised its sword to the air. A green light shone around it, blinding them thieves. When it faded, the beast was gone.

"What!" Panther cried. "Where did he go?"

"He's still in this room!" Oracle called out. "Don't let your guard down, guys!"

At that very moment, hidden hatches and doors swung open. An army of security guards and mobsters rushed in, all of them armed to the teeth.

"You're surrounded!" One of the guards screamed. "Drop your weapons and get those hands behind your heads!"

"I am untouchable! I am the best! And I will not lose to you!" Shadow Yoshi's voice rang from the somewhere in the room. "Kiss your pathetic lives goodbye, Phantom Thieves!"

An ordinary person would've been reduced to tears and flung themselves on the floor. They likely would have begged for their lives, receiving nothing but bullets in response. Joker just smiled. He reached for the face and, with a powerful burst of energy, tore at the invisible mask there.

" _Persona! Ravage them, Arsene!"_

At its master's command, the smirking, masked gentleman thief in crimson and black burst from a flash of blue flame. It summoned a chain and Joker grabbed it with earnest. He swung it forward with all his might, knocking down the row of guards in front of them. The rest of the Phantom Thieves bellowed out a war cry and summoned their own Personas.

Shadow Yoshi bellowed out a roar cry, the guards charged forward and the Phantom Thieves rushed to match them.

The battle was now on…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long. I wasn't satisfied with the first part with Bob and Frank so I had to rewrite it (mostly because it wasn't funny enough). It probably still isn't the best but I want to move things along already.
> 
> I also had to come up with an entire backstory for why Yoshi of all Smashers would be evil and commit tax fraud and stuff. The next chapter will probably go into that more.
> 
> As usual, feedback (especially in relation to my character writing) would be greatly appreciated. I probably also made some stupid spelling/grammar mistakes so if you point them out I'll fix them soon.
> 
> (I can't believe this shit got 100 kudos)


	3. Act 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tongue infections are painful and will kill your motivation to write. Take care of your mouth, friends.

Ren Amimaya had been ready to give up leading the Phantom Thieves. In a single year, he and his friends had undertaken heists, stolen treasures and exposed the deeds of many high-profile criminals to the public. They defeated the man who once wronged their leader and destroyed the ultimate enemy behind his scheme. It was a culmination of all their efforts and a fitting conclusion to the story of the Phantom Thieves.

The thrill of the heist was indeed intoxicating, but it was fraught with danger. Furthermore, the Phantom Thieves could not fight for a world that no longer needed their help. Ren was comfortable was that. Now was the time to mellow out, finish high school and utilize the lessons he learned to pave the way for his future.

He anticipated a party with his friends upon returning to Tokyo. An opportunity to catch up with everyone, eat some good food and have some fun before the first term started. What he didn't expect was his friends sitting serious-faced in the LeBlanc café, a mysterious letter at the table.

 _WE KNOW ABOUT YOUR EFFORTS, PHANTOM THIEVES._ The letter read in a sterile, hard font. _WE KNOW OF YOUR ORIGIN, YOUR TRIAL AND YOUR CONCLUSION. WE HAVE A SOLID UNDERSTANDING OF YOUR SKILLS AND UNIQUE MAGIC._

_IT WOULD TRULY BE A SHAME IF THAT POWER WAS NOT BROUGHT TO LIGHT. TO KNOW MORE, MEET ME BY ENTERING THE FOLLOWING KEYWORDS INTO THE METAVERSE NAVIGATOR: 'SUPER SMASH BROTHERS, 'FINAL DESTINATION', 'FOR GLORY. FAILURE TO COMPLY WILL RESULT IN INFORMATION REGARDING YOUR ACTIVITIES LEAKING OUT ONTO TOKYO'S INTERNET._

A myriad of questions swarmed inside his head at that moment. Was this the work of an individual associated with old enemy? Someone who knew their reputation and wanted to expose their true identities? The letter mentioned the Metaverse Navigator; clearly, the sender understood how he and his team operated. It wasn't a stretch to think they knew about Personas and Palaces too.

The keywords made little sense as well. The first set made no sense, he only recognized the second as the name of a famous Western movie and the third was simply unnerving. In the end, the Phantom Thieves had no choice but to act. They disbanded for a good reason and they weren't about to let some upstart crook ruin their efforts. Swearing this to be their last job, they gathered their supplies, jumped straight into the Metaverse and prepared themselves for the foe on the other side

They found themselves on a metallic flat plane shimmering with mystical energy. Crystals and chunks of metal with strange glowing lines stuck out at jagged angles from the platform. The platform also appeared to be hurtling through space and time at a dizzying speed. Darkness and light traded back and forth and stars and clouds twisted and contorted with every passing minute.

A gigantic gloved hand floated in the middle of the platform. Said hand bellowed out a roar of laughter and attacked them on the spot.

Joker thought this was the worst homecoming ever.

The gigantic hand was no pushover. It was fast, powerful and worst of all, completely ruthless. Fist slams, laser beams, powerful swipes battered at their defences with an intensity they hadn't seen since their initial enemy. The Phantom Thieves forced themselves to counter with their strongest spells and attacks. Not a single inch of their formation was uncovered, not a single strand of effort was spared.

Cut to the present.

Joker stood alone, breathing heavily, pointing handgun at the gigantic hand. The rest of the Phantom Thieves' were on their knees, muscles aching from exhaustion both physical and magical. The gigantic hand was still floating in the center of the platform, covered with multiple gashes and bruises.

Yet, it continued to move with vigor. It then moved its index finger, gesturing towards Joker in a cocky 'come hither' movement. Joker instantly imagined a sneering, smirking face on the hand, reminiscent of the one a certain man had worn. A surge of anger flooded through his veins like liquid fire. He was getting tired of this whole charade anyway. If the hand wanted him to act, then by the gods he would.

He closed his eyes, reaching for the last vestiges of power inside him. It expelled into the open air, taking the form of his most powerful Persona. Joker aimed his trusty handgun at the center of the gigantic hand and pulled the trigger. Two bullets were fired, one from the master and one from the Persona. They slammed into their target dead on, flinging the gigantic backward into a cloud of heat and smoke.

Joker watched, teeth gritted, as the smoke dissipated. It revealed the giant hand flat on the ground, its entire body shrivelled and burnt brown. Its enormous fingers gave one last twitch, before it lay still.

Silence fell. Joker and the rest glared at the unmoving figure, weapons at a ready. A tense half-minute passed.

Only then did they allow a wave of relief to pass over them.

"We did it! We won!" Skull cried from behind. He coughed and Panther reached over to steady him.

"I can't believe it…" Oracle groaned. "That was a way too hard! This thing needs a hard nerf!"

"All our healing items are gone." Mona said, shaking his head. "We're all out of magic, too. Just what was that gigantic hand and why did it bring us here?"

"ALLOW ME TO EXPLAIN." A booming voice rang out. A glowing green aura surrounded the hand. Ghostly sigils of tree leaves floated up and vanished into the cool air. The wounds on the hands sealed shut and the bruises faded into patches of white. The gigantic hand was back floating in the air, unharmed, as if the previous battle had never occurred.

"You gotta be kidding me…" Panther groaned, arms falling to her side.

"We have to fight it again?" Oracle cried.

"Damn it!" Joker cursed, putting himself between his team and the enemy. "Get back, everyone, I've still got some juice left—"

"WELL DONE." The same loud, masculine voice resounded from the hand. The air trembled. It was if thunder itself was speaking.

"What?" Joker snarled.

"VERY WELL DONE, PHANTOM THIEVES." The hand continued. "TRULY, YOU ARE THE HEROES EVERYONE CLAIMED YOU TO BE. I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY YOU HAVE SUCH A GREAT FOLLOWING. TO PUSH ME WHERE I HAD TO USE AN EXTRA LIFE…YOU ARE ALL VERY STRONG. ESPECIALLY YOU, JOKER."

"Excuse me?" Queen snapped, struggling to her feet. Though her movements were sluggish she managed to send a powerful glare to the hand's way. "What is the meaning of this?"

"MY NAME IS MASTER HAND." The gigantic hand introduced, "AND I AM THE ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE SUPER SMASH BROTHERS FIGHTING TOURNAMENT."

Master Hand snapped his fingers. Something floated down in the air in front of Joker. He snatched it up to find a plain white envelope with a crimson seal. An uneven cross was inscribed on the seal.

"THIS, JOKER, IS YOUR INVITATION."

* * *

_My name is Yoshi. I am the ambassador for the Yoshi Islands._

_To clarify, 'Yoshi' is the name of my species'. My name, however, is still 'Yoshi'. It is a name given to members of our species whom are expected to perform great things in the Islands' history. I understand if it sounds confusing. However, it's a name I carry with pride._

_You could argue I have already lived up to that standard. When the Koopa Kingdom tried to kidnap the Mario Brothers as children, my friends and I teamed up to save them, protecting the Yoshi Islands in the process. Many years later, I accompanied Mario on many different adventures to save Princess Peach. I am a celebrity in the Mushroom Kingdom, famous as Mario's trusty steed and a good friend to the princess._

_It's not enough. How can I consider myself to have done anything great for the Islands, when its residents and homes are in such poor condition? Whenever I travel to the Mushroom Kingdom, I am astounded by their facilities. Their educated citizens, their clean roads, the developing technology sector. I look back at my home and see little of that._

_The schools are underfunded. Disease is a problem in the rainy seasons, with new ones popping up every year. Not every house has proper plumbing and electricity. Our agriculture chugs along fine, but it's inflexible and can be susceptible to pests._

_I may be anomaly of our kind. Generally, we Yoshis are a simple race. We don't bother ourselves with complicated matters, preferring to eke out a modest but nonetheless satisfactory life in peace. This is reflected by the way we have colonized the Islands—we coexist very well with nature._

_In the past, that may have been enough. Now, I see the other kingdoms accelerating further and further ahead of us. How far will they be in five, ten years? What will become of us? Will they try and take advantage of my fellows' innocence?_

_I don't want that to happen. I want us to grow to match our neighbours, while keeping our culture intact. It's not impossible._

_How do I do that? I don't know. I don't know._

_I just don't know._

* * *

"All expenses paid, including food, boarding, health and travel. Full college tuition at Tokyo University paid just for joining. All prize money the participant earns goes to them. Further income can be earned through sponsorships and miscellaneous activities such as acting?" Haru Okumura raised her eyebrows and whistled. She pushed back the contract across the LeBlanc tabletop. "It certainly is quite a lucrative offer, isn't it Ren?"

"And we, as a group, are allowed to come along and spectate as well?" Ann Takamaki continued. "I gotta say, leader, this is sounding pretty tempting. They're basically paying you to join the tournament."

"The hand, Master Hand, said we had a large number of fans, as well." Futaba Sakura said. Her fingers skidded across the surface of her smartphone. "Not surprising, then."

"Ah yes," Yusuke Kitagawa responded, nodding. "Such as the Phansite ones, correct?"

"No, Inari, these are apparently real-life fans. As in, they know our full names and some of our Personas." Futaba clarified.

"That…sounds quite concerning." Yusuke said, raising an eyebrow. "Are our security details under attack?"

"Wait, we didn't hear jack about these guys last year. Where the hell were they?" Ryuji Sakamoto asked.

"In other worlds, like the Metaverse. That simply brings up further questions." Makoto Niijima sighed, hand brushing against her forehead. Noon was approaching and it still felt like way too early for her to be discussing this topic. Maybe she needed to start drinking coffee more.

"We're getting off topic." Ren said. Quiet, but firm; his tone commanded the attention of all in the café. "I've thought about this over the past couple of days. The premise sounds completely ridiculous, but so is fighting giant white hand in a place that was definitely not part of the Metaverse.

"My ambitions for the future don't come cheap and this tournament promises a lot of money. And I have to admit, there is some appeal in styling and bodying my opponents to submission in front of a huge crowd."

Haru snickered at that.

"Can we really trust this Master Hand guy?" Ann asked.

"You saw his power, Ann. He also knew about the Metaverse and our activities." Makoto said, shaking her head. "If Master Hand wanted to completely crush us, he already would have."

"Scary…"

"In summary, I'm joining the Super Smash Brothers roster." Ren said. "Are they any objections?"

The rest of the Phantom Thieves shook their heads. Ren breathed a sigh of relief.

"Great." He said. He paused for a moment, before putting on a wry grin. "This is pretty damn unexpected, but I'll try not to let you guys down."

"I don't think we'll have to worry about it." Makoto said, smiling back. "It's not often Shujin Academy is represented by a leader responsible for toppling multiple criminals and even a political conspiracy."

"You'll do wonderful, I'm sure." Haru said.

"Make us proud, leader!" Ryuji said, flashing a thumbs up at Ren.

"I'm waiting for the day we see you on the top of the podium." Ann added.

"And I'll be there to paint a magnificent portrait of your success." Yusuke said.

"Let's have a big party once he gets there!" Morgana exclaimed.

"I hope we can save his matches as vids." Futaba wondered. "Would I get in trouble if I tweaked the footage and released on the Internet as a series of memes?"

Ren gave her a nervous smile. "Maybe hold off on that, Futaba."

"But I could earn so much revenue. Those computer parts aren't gonna pay for themselves."

"I'll take you to Akibahara one day." To which Futaba let out something between a shriek and a cry, but joyful nonetheless. The tension lifted itself from the café as the group chatted and joked. They grabbed drinks and began to speculate on their leader's performance against the other matchups. Joker's Persona would provide him with a unique edge, but the other fighters from Master Hand's dossier possessed their own strengths.

Inwardly, Ren was relieved. He hadn't been sure how his friends would react. Looking at the scene in front of him, he wondered why he had worried in the first place.

After a while, he cleared his throat. "Alright guys, let's talk about how I'm meant to get into the roster."

"Another heist, right?" Morgana said, quieting down. The others followed. Ren nodded, placing a photo on the table. It depicted a humanoid-esque dinosaur with bright eyes, a red saddle and an oversized head. "This is Yoshi."

The rest of the Phantom Thieves crowded around the photo. "He's kinda cute." Ann noted. "He looks like a cartoon character toddlers would love."

"He is apparently a vicious criminal mastermind, according to Master Hand." Ren continued.

His friends turned and stared at him as if he had grown a second head. Ren shrugged. "Guys, you are just as surprised as I was."

"For real?" Ryuji cried. "You're tellin' me this cuddly lookin' fella is just as scummy as the adults we've fought against?"

"I know, I know." Ren said. "Remember, looks can be deceiving. I doubt Master Hand has a reason to lie about this. There'd be no value in throwing one of his prized fighters under the bus if he was innocent."

"How are we gonna find info about him?"

Ren opened his mouth, ready to tell Ryuji that he didn't know. Then, he felt his phone vibrate. Not unusual. The phones of everyone in the café activating at the same time? Definitely concerning.

He flicked past the lock and glanced at the screen. His eyes widened.

"Guys!" Futaba exclaimed. "The Metaverse Navigator just updated!"

**(30 DAYS REMAINING)**

* * *

_Something strange happened today. Let me start from the beginning._

_I have a number of properties in the Mushroom Kingdom. I maintain them, rent them out to tenants and use the surplus funds to buy supplies for the Yoshi Islands. Food, technology, medicine and such. It's another responsibility atop of all of my other ones and the pay isn't that great, but it's better than nothing._

_This time, I misfiled a number of fields for my deduction form by putting in numbers that exceeded the usual limit. The more expenses I pay, the more tax deduction I receive at the end of the year. I thought I would be called out, but instead the form was accepted without complaint._

_I received more money as a result of this. More than I should have. The Mushroom Kingdom IRS apparently has less resources than I thought. Either that, or they simply don't care._

_As usual, I've set aside the money for Yoshi Island. How should I feel about this, though? Following law is just and right; it's what I've been thought since I was a child. Yet, I can't deny that the extra money was nice. Our medicinal supplies were beginning to run low, so a buffer was nice. If I can scrounge up some extra funds at the cost of some slight paperwork mishaps, then…_

… _no, I shouldn't be too hasty about this. I need to think._

* * *

RESULTS OF HIGH-PROFILE INDIVIDUALS FROM THE 'PERSONA' WORLD. DO NOT ACCESS UNLESS YOU POSSESS LEVEL 5 CLEARANCE.

**Main fighters:**

Ren "Joker" Amimaya—Fought Master Hand and proved his worth. Was presented the invitation and accepted. Now awaiting results on his entrance test.

Yu Narukami—Was presented the invitation, but rejected it due to being busy with work. He has been a top participant in multiple tournaments, including the recent Cross-Tag Battle, and may be able to work as a commentator or guest fighter in the future.

Makoto Yuki—Immediately rejected due to ongoing health issues.

Tatsuya Suou—Despite extensive efforts, could not be located.

**Spirits:**

Ann 'Panther' Takamaki—Will be accepted if Joker passes.

Ryuji 'Skull' Sakamoto—Will be accepted if Joker passes.

Morgana (Mona)—Will be accepted if Joker passes.

Yusuke 'Fox' Kitagawa—Will be accepted if Joker passes.

Makoto 'Queen' Niijima—Will be accepted if Joker passes.

Futaba 'Oracle' Sakura—Will be accepted if Joker passes. Not: this individual has similarities with the Inkling female fighter. Some measures should be taken to ensure that the public does not confuse the two.

Haru 'Noir' Okumura—Will be accepted if Joker passes.

The Investigation Team—Rejected due to similar reasons as Yu Narukami.

S.E.E.S—Rejected due to similar reasons as Yu Narukami.

**Other Notes:**

All members of the Phantom Thieves group should appear in their Metaverse outfits for maximum marketability.

* * *

… _It's been a week. I did it again. I cheated the system. This time I did it by hiding some of my Mushroom Kingdom property profits in an old Beanbean Kingdom account. I opened it to try and make some money there, but it never worked out. Since I am not a citizen of Beanbean Kingdom, I don't have to pay tax._

_After a while, I quietly withdrew the funds and used them to help fixup the old schoolhouse. The kids like school. When I saw the smiles on their faces, I got a warm feeling inside that made the effort all worth it. The teachers were really pleased as well. We might be able to accelerate their curriculum soon._

_As for me…I…should I have done this for the second time? It's borderline illegal. I was staring at the papers late at night and felt my head swimming. In that moment of weakness, I guess the devil inside me won._

_What's done is done. Honestly, does Peach know it's this easy to get around her kingdom's IRS? Should I tell her?_

_Eh…maybe not. This might sound selfish, but I don't want to get arrested. I'll get Yoshi's Island back on track, then I'll bring it up to her. I hope she doesn't find out in the meantime. Can't count her out. Despite all the kidnappings, Peach is a lot smarter than she looks._

_Please understand, Peach. I didn't want to do this…_

* * *

The updated Metaverse Navigator contained an online connection to the world of Super Smash Brothers. The signal was constantly steady and required little bandwidth. Futaba took this information, returned home and performed the intelligence agency version of going berserk. Within the next hour, she had written up basic dossier on what was commonly available about Yoshi and passed it out to everyone. By basic, it meant enough detail to make any university student jealous.

To access a Palace, the heart of someone's twisted desires, the Metaverse Navigator needed three pieces of information. The first was obvious.

"Yoshi." Ren tried.

"Candidate input is too ambiguous. Please try again."

"Oh yeah, Yoshi is the name of the species." Ren muttered. "How about…Yoshi of the Super Smash Brothers roster."

"Candidate found." For every target, there was a place they resided in the most. It was usually integral to what was warping their heart.

"Super Smash Brothers lodgings."

"No candidates found."

"Mushroom Kingdom?"

"No candidates found."

"Yoshi's Island."

"Candidate found."

And finally, how the target viewed their own world. This was generally the hardest part.

"Master Hand said he was guilty of tax fraud." Ren mused. "Everyone is aware of this, but so far nobody has been able to find enough evidence to catch him."

"This is sounding disgustingly familiar…" Ann muttered.

"Let's try. Treasure chest."

"No candidate found."

"Piggy bank?"

"No candidate found."

"Victims?"

"No candidate found."

"The foolish masses?"

"No candidate found."

"Personal servants?"

"No candidate found."

"I think we need to rethink our approach and do some more research." Makoto said. "How much is there on Yoshi's profile?"

"Untouchable?" Ryuji said, ignoring her completely. "Cuz I saw it in a gangster movie and—"

"Candidate found." Went the robotic voice of the Navigator. Ryuji grinned and raised his hand for a high-five, which Ren reciprocated. Makoto sighed and resisted the urge to facepalm.

Entering the Metaverse was like diving into a swimming pool on a hot summer's day. It sent shivers and other odd sensations up your spine, but slowly you'd become accustomed to the point where it was as natural and easy as slipping into a different outfit. The world around the Phantom Thieves rippled and vanished. They closed their eyes and let the flow guide them to their destination.

When Ren, re-opened his eyes, LeBlanc was gone. He was now in his stylish thief outfit—cloak, cape, mask and more. And then Ren Amamiya vanished and in his place was the charismatic and capable leader Joker.

He performed a quick headcount. All members present. Good.

Now to observe his surroundings.

His team was in a dark, dusty city alleyway. Cylindrical trashcans lined the walls, overflowing with assorted garbage and reeking foul smells. Not an unusual sight, even for the Metaverse, considering what the majority of humanity was living in. For a green dinosaur that lived on an island teeming with nature, though?

He made motions for the rest of the team to follow. They quietly moved ahead towards the dim light at the end. They stepped into a busy street.

A city skyline came into view. Towers of concrete and brick, stretching to a starless night sky. Men dressed in dark suits and bowler hats walked the cramped roads, hands in their jackets and eyes facing the ground. Chimneys pumped out wisps of black, filling the air with the stench of burning and poison.

Despite their lavish outfits, not a single person spared a single glance for the Phantom Thieves as they stepped into the street and examined their surroundings. No-one wanted to look at each other. They were a sea of cloth and apathy, marching along into the night.

Queen looked at the street, the beetle-shaped cards passing by and English on the newspapers. All of this, combined with the gloomy atmosphere and her own studies in history…

"Is this old Chicago?" She asked, sounding confused.

Several sharp cracks rang through the smog-stained air. Gunshots.

* * *

_What has happened to me? Am I really at the point where I'm seriously considering this?_

_There's this Toad lady who lives near my properties. She's a merchant, selling mushrooms, jellies and other goodies to the town. I'm something of a semi-regular customer. She's a pretty well off woman, with a big house, a few kids and a well-stocked bank account._

_How do I know the status of her account, you ask? She dropped her bag in town. I was strolling around the fountain in the plaza and saw it sticking out of a bush. Inside was her passport, credit card and papers containing details to her accounts. The fountain is near the bank, so no prizes as to guessing what she was doing that day._

_I can't just transfer her money over to my account; that would get me arrested in no time flat. What I can do is use her details to make her donate some money to my Beanbean account. I didn't give it much details and I rebrand it as a charity or something._

_It's theft, no doubt about it. I'm already in big trouble for taking her bag home instead of returning it._

_Again, I know that stealing is wrong. Bowser is a princess thief and Mario beats him up at least once per year. He's basically the Mushroom Kingdom special ops by now._

_Yet, I can hear the virtual money sing. It speaks of a brighter future for my homeland. It struggles against my preconceived morals. I think back to the failing plumbing system of my islands and the struggles my people face just to have clean water. I look out the window, and see the lady's house in the distance. It's pristine. It looks good. Her kids are playing soccer in the front garden, laughing all the while. The sun sets in the distance, painting a picturesque, beautiful scene of an average weekend afternoon. I stare at it all some more._

_If I took some money from her, would it really matter? She's not in poverty or struggling badly at all. She can always make it back from her business, which seems to be popular around town. I can just take 20%. Around 1000 coins. It's not a lot in comparison._

_I don't want to do this. I have to do this. I'm a leader of my people, and leaders have to make the tough decisions, right?_

_My finger hovers over the pad. Sweat trails down my face._

_Transaction sent._

* * *

If the Palace was a location formed a target's twisted desires, then the target's Shadow—a malevolent caricature of their inner self—was the Palace's host. Only by defeating the host and stealing their Treasure could the Phantom Thieves change the target's ways.

Experience said the Shadows of their targets felt as if they had nothing to hide. They were at the center of their world, so why not flaunt their pride and show off? Thus, the thieves began searching for the most prominent part of their current location.

After asking around, the Phantom Thieves located the biggest skyscraper in the city. It stretched to the cloud, a spire of concrete and glass. Groups of uniformed guards stood at a courtyard absent of any trash or waste. Its many square windows were shining bright and somehow immune to the omnipresent smog. In short, it was in much better shape than the other drab buildings in the city.

The nameplate was gold, large and brash. The slogan beneath it was some generic thing that a passerby would glance on the subway and then never remember again. It all gave several members of the group the impression that the owner was compensating for something.

The Phantom Thieves walked through the double doors and into a spacious lobby. A row of chairs were placed at the front with entrances to hallways at the back. Men and women in business suits walked briskly in and out the space.

A clerk at the front desk greeted them with a chipper voice and a plastic grin. The residents of Palaces weren't real people, but she took the award for the most generic person in the entire place. She put down her pen and faced the ground.

"Hi! How may I help you?" she said.

"Could we please see Yoshi?" Joker asked.

"Mr. Yoshi? As in the CEO of this company?" The clerk said, sounding confused. "He's a very busy man. What do you need from him?"

"Well, you see…"

Joker expected nothing for the exchange. He somehow got even less than that. He led his group of the building an hour earlier, feeling as if all the words with the clerk had gone through one ear and out the other. To call the result unsatisfactory would be an understatement.

Then Oracle's map updated, revealing a back entrance, and he got all excited again. Another hour later, they left the building again and were now even more unsatisfied than before.

"This is ridiculous!" Panther shrieked, throwing her hands in the air. "That's clearly the heart of the Palace. There's more behind those doors, so why weren't we allowed to enter?"

"It was more than a physical thing." Oracle muttered, chewing her lip. "It was if there was form of mental or magical block preventing us from opening the door. We knew that Yoshi's inner desires existed, but we still couldn't do anything about them."

"It may be a reflection of how the public views Yoshi." Fox added. "No doubt they were aware of his crimes by stringing connections between cases, yet they couldn't do anything but sit back and watch."

"I get what you're saying, Fox." Mona said. "We need to do some digging. Find some solid, hard evidence on Yoshi."

"We can't access his physical location, though." Queen said. "Then again, we might not need to. Oracle, forgive us for putting so much work on you, but can you take care of this?"

"Not a problem, guys." Oracle grinned. "I always appreciate a good exercise."

Joker surveyed his team. The last couple of hours drove him around the bend, but upon taking in all they accomplished today it wasn't too shabby of a result. "We've found the Palace and we know how to strike back at it. Let's go back, everyone. We still have plenty of time and we all look like we could use some rest."

A round of tired affirmations echoed his decision.

**(29 DAYS REMAINING)**

* * *

_It's been a few months since the incident with the lost bag. I haven't been found out. The incident was reported on the news, but not a single person suspected me. I can sleep a bit more safely._

_I've been presented the opportunity to introduce more modern technology to the islands. Computers, basic vehicles, the Internet and other such modern utilities. This should allow us Yoshis to access more information and get up to speed with the rest of the islands. I'll have to write something up regarding education at the next meeting._

_As for the funding, I've just been doing what I've done before. The Yoshi Island charities could be better, but they're alright for now. On the other hand, the property market has been booming with a recent population spike. I've increased the rent to match. Some tenants left, but there's always a demand for housing in the Mushroom Kingdom._

_I've also been dabbling in the 'unsightly' methods as well. Transferring money between accounts, fudging with my claims, filing fake supplementary returns to reduce employee income tax and such. I always tell myself it's for a good cause and it doesn't hurt others much in the long run. I'm beginning to think that it's true._

_Would it be so bad if I used some of that money on myself? I mean, I have been working pretty damn hard. We've already surpassed the plan for the year. I don't think the other islanders would complain if I fixed my roof and got a new desk…_

* * *

It was a song and dance they had heard time after time again. An adult has great ambitions for their future. They work hard and put in the effort. As they face opposition, their methods grow more and more unscrupulous. Eventually, they will do whatever it takes to achieve their goals, ignoring the damage it brings to themselves and others. Their goals change, their sins accumulate and they start to do what is necessary to hide their ugly side from the world.

This Yoshi dinosaur had quite a history, Ren mused. He suspected Master Hand had been aware of his dirty deeds for a very long time, but as the tournament administrator he was unable or unwilling to do anything about it. Smart move, getting a technically third party to do the work for them.

Not that he minded. The Phantom Thieves existed to dispense justice when the system could not.

"This is the earliest recorded piece." Makoto said, showing him a printout. "A woman from a place called Toad Town reported money being forwarded from her account without her permission. The records, however, showed the transaction was authorized from her account. Several witnessed also reported seeing the woman at the bank that day, resulting in the case being written off as a mistake. Futaba did some deeper digging and found that the transaction was authorized from an unusual IP address, one that belonged to the place Yoshi was staying in at the time."

"What were the consequences of this?" Ren asked.

"The woman was unable to pay her creditors and had to sell her house. Soon after, her husband divorced her. She's currently on government funding."

"Ouch…" Ren cringed.

"Master Hand also provided Futaba with a contact in the Mushroom Kingdom IRS. She managed to scrape up false income claims and impersonation from earlier on. Minor things, but certainly a sign of cracks beginning to form." Makoto continued.

Ren learned back in his seat, hand on brow. "Futaba sure is amazing. I definitely need to buy her something good after this. I wonder if we can get past some of the blocks in the Palace now."

"I believe we need to organize this information into something conclusive for maximum effectiveness." Makoto said. "I'll type up a report and give it to my sister to check as a university assignment. It'll be good practice for writing police reports in the future."

A couple of days later, they strode into back into the skyscraper within the Metaverse, this time feeling confident. They marched up to the front desk, ignored it and took the stairs up three floors.

At the end of the corridor was a large double door sealed off by yellow tape. It had taken fire, lightning and several young men whacking at it with their Personas at full strength. It had stood tall and firm every single time. Today would be different.

Two faceless guards stood at attention, dressed in plain work clothes and carrying batons. One whispered and the second barked out a short chuckle. The Phantom Thieves approached and the humor vanished.

"Back again?" The first guard sneered, eyeing Joker up and down like a spectator at a fashion runaway.

"Why, yes." Joker smirked. "We know that your boss is a filthy criminal, and we're here to give him his dues. Will you let us pass?"

"The boss? A criminal?" The second guard snorted. It almost sounded authentic. "No way. There's no chance. Haven't you heard about the charity work he's done?"

"Yeah! He opened a dozen soup kitchens in the city. And he caught that band of drug dealers hiding in the sewers"

"He's an important guy with tons of work to do. No way am I letting a troupe of snot-nosed brats run amok through his office!" The first guard shouted, slamming his fist against his palm.

"And what if I said we had evidence?" Joker said, not wasting a beat.

"What?" The first guard said.

"No way." The second guard said, looking slightly nervous.

Joker and Queen glanced at each other. Queen nodded. Panther winked at them both. Noir already had her axe out in hand.

Joker reached into his coat and withdrew a roll of paper. He unfurled it and presented the contents to the guards. Walls and walls of text—that was their initial impression—and then a cluster of white light formed in the center. It shot out a brilliant hot beam, bowling over the guards and blowing apart the sealed door to smithereens. Skull gaped, Joker's eyes widened and Fox was already scribbing in his sketchbook.

Well, that was unexpected. Nonetheless, it was the perfect opportunity to head in explore the depths of the Palace. They had to start now, because an alarm was resounding and other guards were on their way.

**(26 DAYS REMAINING)**

* * *

_Today the road restoration project was completed. Goodbye, old dirt roads. No longer will rain soak them into stretches of mush during the rainy season. No longer will my brethren trip over themselves while walking down them._

_True, we had to cut down some nature strips for this to work, but given enough time they'll grow back. It's not as if we were cutting into our own food supply._

_I should be happy. Part of me is, but a bigger problem has arised._

_One of my fellow council members of the Yoshi Island council has been rather outspoken about my approaches lately. She says that my decisions are beginning to destroy the island's culture. She also said that my progressive approach isn't giving the more elderly Yoshis a chance. This woman been on the council for almost as long as I have and she has a lot of supporters. Just this morning I overheard a conversation about some of her colleagues. They accused me of improperly using the funds I spent so much time and effort accumulating!_

_I…this is outrageous beyond words! Did she forget the shoddy state of the island before I really dug into my work? Does the measles epidemic or the famine last year somehow slip her mind? Or does she think that it's acceptable to let our people remain in the past while the rest of the world moves on? I don't believe this woman!_

_Seriously, I want to drag her in front of everyone and set her braindead thought processes straight. Except, that's a bad idea. No doubt she would begin by raising suspicious about the 'unique' methods by which I acquire my funds. She'll throw out a bunch of passive-aggressive insults and turn everyone against me. The thought of it makes me want to vomit. No-one of them get that I didn't have much of a choice!_

_No, I have to find a way to keep her mouth shut. I can't think of anything, though. She's a very well-spoken woman. Even if I were to debate her, I'm not sure if I could win._

_There is something, though. While working my taxes, an associate of an associate passed along a contact number. It said it belonged to an organization that specializes in 'outside-the-box' problem solving. I'm not an idiot. I know exactly what they're implying._

_Thing is, do their services involve silencing someone? Not to hurt them physically or anything, just to get them to cool down for a bit? They have a money back guarantee deal if the request isn't performed within a week. By coincidence, that's around the time for the next council meeting._

_I mean, I do have the cash and it wouldn't hurt to ask. I can hang up anytime I want._

* * *

"Get them!"

"Don't let a single one get away!"

"Dibs on the cat lady!"

Ten metres to the goal, a whole horde of guards chasing them and there was only one smoke ball left. Joker pulled off the pin, counted to the three and hurled it behind him. A cry of pain told him it hit. He and his team wasted no time in sprinting towards a set of double doors. One by one, they piled in, nearly tripping over each other. Skull was the last one and Mona hauled him in by the collar with his mona, before Noir barred the door shut and shoved her entire body against it.

The guards rammed their fists against the door. One set of thuds. Another set. The door frame buckled. Around them, the air shimmered and shifted. The image of an office room flickered through their vision, before it was replaced with a lavish waiting room. The door fell still.

"I think we're in the clear now." Oracle said, clutching a stitch in her side.

"The second saferoom…we made it." Joker panted, slumping into a velvet-lined sofa. "Let's take a break guys."

While the others were breaking out the medicine and catching their breath, Joker clasped his hands together and thought. This Palace was turning out to be no push over. The security systems were top notch, the guards patrolled in uneven patterns and layout was confusing. The damn thing had almost a hundred floors! Fighting against its enemies was a balancing act of resources, time and the alert status. He'd even go as far to compare it to the final stretch of his previous trial.

 _We faced powerful Palaces due to the political clout of our foes._ He thought. _But Yoshi is a hero of the Mushroom Kingdom and an ally of the great hero Mario. He's also one of the original eight Smashers Master Hand chose for the first tournament. Just how strong is he in real life?_

Joker swallowed the lump in his throat. He didn't want to admit it, but he had gotten rusty in his absence. Would he and his team get through his Palace fine? Could he even compete at the tournament in his current level?

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and re-opened them. It would not do to panic now. Not when there was still ground to cover and enemies to fight. Joker had crafted himself the cocksure, yet reliable and quick-thinking leader and he'd be damned if he was going to slip up now.

"Oracle?" He called out. "We need to discuss the next stretch. Let's go over your map."

**(20 DAYS REMAINING)**

* * *

_Wow, I can't believe it worked. The citizens don't care beyond an initial impression, huh. That's…certainly something._

_At least the woman wasn't harmed. I doubt she'll be back on the council anytime soon._

_I've learned a really important lesson from this._

* * *

" _I didn't do it! I didn't do it! Damn it all! Can't you fools see that you are being manipulated?"_

_"Ma'am, if you don't stop resisting we will have to sedate you—"_

" _Unhand me! Yoshi will bring this island to ruin. He's not worthy of his name!"_

_"This is your last chance—"_

" _Hear me, Yoshi! One day your crimes will be found out and you will suffer the consequences of them! One day, someone will come along and —!"_

There was a sharp crack of something electric. A high-pitched, pained scream burst out, followed by the sound of something heavy falling to the ground.

_"Are you hurt, sir?"_

_"Nope! I'm all good here. Just make sure this one faces the proper justice."_

_"Yes! We'll hand over to the island court right away"  
_

The recording cut off in a hiss of static. Silence echoed throughout the little treasure room. Initially, The Phantom Thieves had managed to find a number of useful tools here, but the recording had automatically played and now their appetite had vanished.

"So not even the Mushroom Kingdom is safe from this kind of treachery…" Noir mumbled, crestfallen.

"This is a treasure room." Fox noted, midly grateful that his mask was concealing his expression. "If those words echoed here, does that mean Yoshi treasures this memory?"

"Damn him…" Skull hissed, fists clenched.

It was almost commendable just how much of a scumbag their target was. Joker focused on the knot of familiar anger balling in his gut. He wordlessly gestured for his group to follow. Together, they stepped back into the danger of the Palace, eager to take down their enemy.

**(17 DAYS REMAINING)**

* * *

_I've gotten myself in too deep._ _I'm not backing down anymore._

_There's no point._

* * *

The LeBlanc attic was cramped, creaky at night and a potential fire hazard. It was also Ren's home, more so than the house he grew up in. Once filled with dusty junk, he had slowly transformed it into a proper bedroom over the last year. A desolate table now supported a bulky CRT with a retro gaming console. The empty shelf displayed trophies and gifts from his friends. A potted plant with a foot in the grave now flourished green and was maintained by the cafe's owner in his absence.

He had missed this place dearly. Coming back was like greeting an old, beloved relative.

He lay on his bed, phone at his ear. Seeing as their progress through Yoshi's Palace was going smoothly, today he decided to give everyone a break. He himself had gone around catching up with his other friends. Most were not the type the average high-schooler was attracted to. Yet, they had been instrumental in supporting the Phantom Thieves endeavors. Mucking around with them was a welcome change from navigating smoky corridors and pounding the skulls of Shadows.

The sun was setting and soon it would be time to dinner. Ren decided to relax for a bit and chat over his phone. Haru was available and the two of them ended up debating over obscure coffee flavors.

The conversation inevitably turned back to their heist. It was at the back of their minds, after all.

"Hey, Ren."

"What's up, Haru?" He said back.

"Does Mario know of his friend's crimes?"

Ren paused and thought. "I don't think so. Yoshi has been very meticulous in keeping up an image of the friendly green dinosaur. He keeps track of everything he does and quickly eliminates any loose ends. There's an entire team he's got on his payroll devoted to covering his tracks. It's how he was able to attend multiple tournaments and go on his adventures. We're building this case out of rumors, scraps and bits he's missed."

"I know far too many individuals in high society who would love to censor every bad thing they did." Haru said, letting out a weary groan. "Dealing with them is exhausting."

"We might have to explain this to Mario—no, the entire Smash Brothers roster. I can't imagine it'll go down well. Not looking forward to it."

"Will you be okay?" Haru said.

"I think so." Ren said, "There are a lot of heroes and justice-positive individuals among the Smashers. Master Hand said he would protect me as well. Mario will likely be angry at me. But if I heard that someone accused you of being drug queen without seeing the evidence, I'd be angry too. Mostly because I know you'd never do such a thing."

"Aw, thank you, Ren. You're making me blush." Haru giggled.

"I aim to please, m'lady." Ren smirked. "Anyway, we're more than halfway done with the Palace. Makoto says we can get past the next block with her latest report."

**(11 DAYS REMAINING)**

* * *

_Everything's great! The island has been completely refitted with modern technology and utilities, the citizens are all happy and I don't have to worry so much anymore! Sure, nothing is perfect; there are certainly more things I could improve and introduce to the island, but so far the future is looking bright and sunny._

_As for my property, I've gone ahead and purchased some more in the Mushroom Kingdom, as well as a trial one in Sarasaland. I've gotten quite good at the market, if I do say so myself. Can't believe I used to panic myself into amess about it. In the end, it's all about manipulating numbers and watching the latest trends._

_Oh yes, there are still those who disagree with me. Eh, not to worry. Through the recent months, I've come to sharpen my persuasion skills. If someone doesn't like my methods, I just have to talk to them some more and they'll come around. If they persist, well, let's just say I know ways to get a firmer message across._

_Ooh, look at this Whacka Bump. I heard Mario talk about it once. He described it as an extremely delicious and invigorating pastry, but you have to get it by hitting Whackas. Whackas are a heavily endangered species, with their numbers able to be counted on a single hand. Most of them are under government protection._

_So, how did this Whacka Bump get circulated onto the online market, though? It's a mystery._

_Lunch is soon. Should I purchase The Bump? It won't be delivered to me until a few weeks, but on the other hand I may not ever get another chance to try it. Mario said he was really guilty for hitting the first Whacka he met and refused to do it again. Kinda silly, right?_

_Oh, look at my mouse go. I've already purchased it. Wow, I need to learn to control myself._

* * *

They had done it. They reached the Treasure, defeated all the major enemies and mapped out the entirety of the Palace. All was left was to send the calling card to the target, triggering their Shadow in the Palace and making the Treasure tangible enough to steal.

They designed the calling card and presented it to Master Hand. It was a contraption of Futaba and Yusuke's design, with helping ideas form Ryuji and Makoto. Yoshi did not exist in a space where the methods of the Phantom Thieves were well known, so in order to retain some element of surprise they omitted his name from the calling card. But he would know full well who the card was directed to, for there was no-one else in the Smash Mansion who specialized in that brand of wickedness.

They contacted Master Hand, who gave his approval while shaping himself into an OK gesture.

"WELL DONE." He had shouted, "IT WILL CAUSE A DECENTLY-SIZED RUCKUS AND BRING PUBLICITY TO THE TOURNAMENT. FEAR NOT, I WILL EXPLAIN THIS CLEARLY TO THE REST OF YOUR FUTURE PEERS. YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE RETRIBUTION FROM THEM.

Master Hand was a true opportunist, Joker mused. Now they had to actually make the device. A tricky endeavor, or it would be if it weren't for Ren's legendary crafting skills. Making all those lockpicks and utilities were yielding yet another fruit.

One day was spent to gather the materials, another to make the thing. There were still five days left before the deadline. Ren couldn't help but feel a swell of pride. They were still damn great.

They sent out the calling card the moment it was finished.

**(5 DAYS REMAINING)**

* * *

_Big news today! I've entered an arrangement with the Rougeport's Pinata mafia. In exchange for helping them handle and store their merchandise on the Islands, they will help cover my financial work. They run a good information censorship and misdirection racket. Not only that, certain higher-ups in the Mushroom Kingdom owe them. All in all, this is a superb agreement we've entered in._

_Of course, I can't afford to let myself slip. I refuse to let the mafia have full control over my life. I'll have to do some digging of my own. There must be some dirt on those newlyweds…_

* * *

**(0 DAYS REMAINING)**

The Palace Alert cascaded to its maximum. All guards were shoved on patrol, ready to transform at the slightest provocation. The Phantom Thieves bought out the entire clinic stock and entered the Metaverse, grim-faced. They stormed through the hallways and rushed up the staircases, not bothering to stealth around obstacles this time. Any enemy that got in their way was trampled beneath hailstorms of rapid-burst magic. Any door was blown into smithereens.

All the while, Shadow Yoshi watched from the safety his office, gritting his teeth and pulling at his tie. In a fit of rage, he kicked away his chair and stormed out of his office, already dialling on a portable phone.

The two forces met at the top of the skyscraper. First they clashed with words, then with might.

* * *

_Can't believe it's been this long since I first started fiddling with my taxes. Time does fly by._

_More and more connections are coming my way. This is all because I've gained a reputation in the criminal underworld as the one who works magic with money. That's right, my skills are so polished I can market them. My bank account is singing praises as we speak. So many big plans for the future, so little time._

_Of course, I don't tell anyone my true identity. No doubt law enforcement is investigating my underground persona, but I've come to realize that part of the reasons for my evasion is because everyone on the surface still thinks of me as Yoshi, the friendly reliable steed. I'll have to keep that up for as long as I can._

_Yoshi Island? That's doing fine. I'm still keeping a close eye on it and its people. Everything is modernized now and most of my kind are happy with what they have. The Island's culture? Culture is something that changes over time. So, what if the old customs are fading day by day? They've always been outdated and unreliable._

_There's still a lot of work to be done. The entire council system needs to be overhauled. Too much squabbling and not enough action. Maybe_

_The Internet is amazing, too! You can design the worst-looking emails asking for people's money and some will actually fall for this? Why didn't I do this phishing scam earlier? Thanks to the advancements in technology, it can be automated too! It's a constant-stream of virtual dosh!_

_Mario, Luigi, Peach and the others?_

_I haven't forgotten them. I'm not the type of Yoshi who forgets his friends. I've helped them out in my own little way._

_For example, Mario and Luigi were about to get into trouble about their taxes, so I sorted it out quit. Some hotshot was about to propose a new law that would give Peach lots of headaches, so I 'convinced' him not to. Toad's landlord was about to evict him, so I replaced him with a contact of my own._

_They ought to be grateful to me. Not that I need it. I'm a nice guy._

_Do they know? Of course they don't. I like them all a lot, but they're all really inexperienced with my line of work. I don't need them making silly suggestions and wasting my precious time._

_Oh, look, the invitation to the newest Smash Brothers tournament has arrived. This is the fifth one, I think. Who will be the newcomers this time around?_

* * *

"Agidyne!"

"Freidyne!"

An arc of fire and a bolt of azure nuclear power melded together into a searing orb of power. It spiralled forward, detonating within a group of bodies and sending them spiralling in all directions. Panther and Queen dropped a knee, sweat trailing down their cheeks.

The trophy room was in shmables. Glass cabinets were smashed and the polished floor was pockmarked with battle scars and burn marks. A horde of uniformed guards lay littered across the area, flat against the floor and knocked out. Shadow Yoshi had ordered them to rush the Phantom Thieves, and rush they did.

They had served their purpose. The Phantom Thieves were worn down from defending themselves on all sides. Dodging bullets, even if Personas granted them reactions beyond most humans, was no easy feat. Expending magic to cast area-wide while avoiding friendly fire was as troublesome as ever.

"My, my, Phantom Theives, it looks like you're all in a spot of trouble!" Shadow Yoshi taunted. He had hung back for the initial stages of the fight, relying on his cronies to do most of the work. Occasionally, Joker and another would break past the barricade to strike at him, to which he responded with his own powerful attacks. Fireballs, body slams, exploding eggs and more. The skeleton rider atop his saddle had conjured his own magic, striking the thieves from afar.

Shadow Yoshi had sustained damage, but not to the extent of his opponents.

"Are you sure you don't want to surrender? We're merciful people!" He jeered. "We'll only break most of your bones before handing you over the authorities!"

Joker considered it. "Sure," He said. "Why not?

"You—wait, what?"

"I said I'll surrender." Joker said. He looked Shadow Yoshi straight in the eye, his gaze defiant and proud. "Apologize to everyone you've wronged and compensate them. Give back all the money you've swindled and stolen. Spend the rest of your life performing charity work for the Yoshi Islands. Do all of that and then we'll surrender!"

"You mock me. Even now, you dare to mock me?" Shadow Yoshi howled. "Your insolence knows no bounds!"

"How bold of you to think you're worthy of any respect!" Fox shouted back.

"We came here to your shitty ass down from your throne and we won't stop until that happens!" Skull yelled.

"By the way, Yoshi," Oracle called, "How many of us are facing you right now?"

Did the Phantom Thieves think so low of his intelligence? There were seven of them facing him—the same number that had invaded his organization and drove his plans for the future into ruins. Wait, seven? That wasn't right—

The skeleton rider atop Shadow Yoshi screamed. Anyone would when the sharp tip of a rapier was sticking through their chest. Standing atop the oversized Shadow's back, Mona waved to his comrades and grinned. He yanked out his rapier, cleaved an arc through the air, so refined that the air itself hissed from the displacement, and slice the rider in two.

It was an ambush, organized and conducted within a split second in the heat of the battle. How could he not have seen it? Shadow Yoshi roared and twisted his body. He was too late. Mona had already jumped off his back and dove towards his legs. He slashed at Shadow Yoshi's legs with the rapier and summoned forth a blast of wind.

The world tumbled and flipped. By the time Shadow Yoshi regained his bearings, the other Phantom Thieves were charging towards him, weapons at the ready.

"All-Out Attack! Don't give him an inch!" Joker roared.

He tried to lift himself up. His body responded by remaining immobile. Queen's gauntlets were ramming themselves into his skull. Shadow Yoshi disappeared beneath a wave of vicious strikes and a skull-shaped cloud of smoke.

* * *

_This world is simply amazing. All you have to do is learn the system and, with a little effort, things will shift your way. The government can't touch me, the IRS can't touch me, no-one can._

_Look at my wealth. Look at what I've accomplished. No-one suspects a thing!_

_I'm the best. I'm invincible! I am untouchable!  
_

* * *

"No! No, no, no!" Shadow Yoshi screamed. His bravado was dust. Tears gathered at his reptilian eyes, "This can't be happening!"

Joker approached the cowering Shadow, expressionless. He took a new magazine from his coat and slid it into his handgun. Flames smouldered in the wrecked room. They lit up Joker's mask, highlighting the merciless exhilaration in his eyes. In that moment, Joker was not a gentleman thief. He was a demon from the deepest rings of hell.

Shadow Yoshi trembled and scrambled back, desperate to put anything between him and his judgment. He shot wisps of flame, threw whatever he could and screamed and ranted for his henchmen to give up.

It was a futile effort. He was alone. For every obstacle that came their leader's way, a Phantom Thief was at his side, deflecting the obstacles with little effort.

"I'll give you money! Women! Anything you ask! Just don't destroy all my hard work!" Shadow Yoshi bawled. "I won't—can't lose!"

Joker ripped away his mask. A torrent of blue fire erupted from his body. Suddenly, behind him, was a hulking figure dressed in dark, silver armor with miniature skulls on its plating. Six pitch-black wings, half angel and half demonic, spread out from its back. Atop its head were twin golden horns. It wore a red sash around its waist and in its hand was a massive handgun, adorned with seven twisted figures.

Joker smirked, a grin that reeked with the promise of defeat and destruction, and raised his handgun. Shadow Yoshi scrambled back at the wall, as if he could merge with it and escape his fate. He pleaded, cried, performed the motions of a rat in a corner.

"This can't be real! I'm supposed to be invincible!"

Joker raised his handgun and aimed. His demonic Persona mimicked the action.

"I'm meant to be untouchable!" Shadow Yoshi howled to the heavens. Deep in his heart, he prayed for someone, anyone to save him from his demise.

He received nothing.

Joker squeezed the trigger and two bullets soared through the air with a bang. They hit their target dead on. They rend two gaping holes in Shadow Yoshi's body, destroying the last of his innate defences in his process.

He screamed in agony, a piercing roar that cracked glass and shook the walls. Joker watched impassively as his opponent thrashed around like the monster he was, before finally running out of steam and collapsing onto the ground with a heavy thud.

Particles of inky darkness poured out of Shadow Yoshi's wounds and disappeared into the open air. His once-inflated body shrunk and shrunk until it was back to its normal size.

Joker's demonic Persona tipped its head back and roared. A holy light radiated over the Phantom Theives, healing their wounds and restoring their vitality. They picked themselves up and strode towards their beaten foe.

Victory was theirs.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Hey muse, you said this chapter would be shorter in the previous one."  
> "Yeah I know."  
> "Then why is it longer than the other two combined you fucking clown?"  
> "You couldn't help yourself. Again."  
> "This is all your fault."  
> "I am you, you absolute pool noodle. I can't believe it took you this long to figure out how AO3 Chapter Notes worked."
> 
> Writing a backstory for evil Yoshi was hard, mostly because all I had to start from was a near-dead meme. I am by no means an expert on taxes or Mario lore, so feel free to correct me if you spot anything conflicting/wrong.
> 
> I also tried a new style of writing this time. It definitely turned out a lot more serious than I initially planned, mainly due to having to write the backstory of a villain. Dunno how it all worked in end. Once again, please give feedback and such.
> 
> Next Chapter will be the end of this story. This is obviously very emotional for you, but please don't cry.


	4. Act 4: FINALE

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the end.

"This can't be happening. This can't be happening…" Shadow Yoshi heaved great sobs from his place on the ground. The battle had torn his suit with gashes and burns and his once spotless, sneering face was clammy with sweat and dirt. His movements bore the exhausted desperation of the loser. "I'm not supposed to be lose!"

Joker strode over, causing Shadow Yoshi to shriek and hug the wall. The rest of his crew moved to surround their beaten foe in a circle. Their shadows loomed over him like giants onto ants.

"We've beaten targets like you time and after time again. I still don't quite understand it." Joker said. "You had money, fame and influence. And yet, you still desired more. What was your end goal? What was the point of it all?"

"None of you understand. Children like you simply can't." Shadow Yoshi moaned. "In this world, the best way to pass through life is to control the world around you. You have to make others do what you want instead of the opposite. If you don't, you'll become bound by your circumstances. "

He took a shuddering breath. "There's only pain and suffering there. I let myself be controlled by the state of Yoshi's Islands and what did I receive? Headaches, nightmares and a constant sense of futility. Only after I began exercising my financial talents and learning how to manipulate system did my fortunes turn around. That's why I needed all the money and resources at my side. I refuse to go back to the pathetic person I used to be!"

"Oh, blow it out your ass!" Skull growled. "Quit making for all the bad shit you did!"

"It's true that there are many who find themselves unable to move past their circumstances. Poverty, disabilities, simple bad luck and such." Fox said. "Their life is filled with painful times, yes, but they find satisfaction in other areas."

"Such as helping others." Noir continued. Yoshi winced at that. His head drooped. "There was a time where you understood the value of that, right?"

"That's…"

"Don't lie to us. You genuinely felt food when you helped your fellow Yoshis." Noir said. It was the truth and the Phantom Thieves knew it. There had been a small, dusty room lurking in a corner of the Palace where muffled, truthful voices played back from an old tape recorder. A pale, vulnerable fragment of who Yoshi used to be. As predicted, Yoshi's words froze in his tongue and he did not respond.

"You just became greedy and prideful. Drunk on power, you abused your resources to manipulate others and cheat the legal system." Queen added. She crossed her arms. "End of story."

"Well, that's why we're here." Panther said, stretching her arms. "To steal your distorted desires and set your heart right."

"This is for your own good." Oracle said. "Soon, you'll understand what you did was wrong and society will become better off for it. Don't resist, okay?"

Shadow Yoshi slumped in his spot, as if the strings commanding him were cut. All traces of resistances vanished from him. Joker nodded, satisfied. The boss was defeated and now was the time for the final stage of the heist.

"Skull, Panther and Fox: watch Shadow Yoshi and the rest of the room." He ordered. "The rest of you: follow me. We're taking that Treasure."

"Aye!"

The Phantom Thieves acted in unison. Skull, Panther and Fox formed a circle around their foe, hands on their weapons, their remaining magic at their fingertips. Their eyes drifted towards the exits and entrances, ready for any nasty surprises.

The rest followed Joker towards the steel, sealed door behind Yoshi. A single hack from Oracle and the locks fell down like flies. The door swung open with a slow, mechanical creak. They stepped inside, endured the scream of orgasmic joy from Mona and emerged with armfuls of boxes and metal-plated suitcases.

"What are those?" Skull asked.

"Bonds, contracts, assorted paperwork. Evidence of Yoshi's crimes." Queen answered. "Together they're the Treasure, no doubt."

"They must be worth a fortune!" Panther remarked. "Imagine selling those to the police or the media."

"Not that's a thing we can do." Skull groaned. "You know, because of how the Metaverse works at stuff."

"Ah, get over it."

"I wouldn't do it anyway." Queen chimed in. "Dealing with sensitive documents is a massive pain. I'm not looking forward to that part of my future career."

The ground suddenly trembled. Cracks formed in the ground with loud hisses. The ceiling shook, shaking the lights and dislodging chunks of steel and concrete. Now the Palace host was defeated, their Treasure claimed, the Palace had no reason to exist. Given that the Phantom Thieves were standing on a rapidly collapsing skyscraper, they needed to act, and fast. Joker clapped his hands and faced his team, calm despite the approaching danger.

"Mission over, everyone." He said. "Let's pull out!"

"What about me?" Shadow Yoshi said in a low, weak voice.

"You'll be fine." Joker said, sparing the beaten Shadow a glance. "It's the other you that should be careful."

"What…?"

"Transform!" Mona shouted. In a puff of smoke, his body transformed into a black van with his face on the bonnet. The Phantom Thieves piled in, Panther taking the wheel. Engines powerful as a jet's flared and the van sped off towards the exit. It blasted the doors off their hinges and sped down the crumbling corridors.

Shadow Yoshi remained, staring at the broken doorway with a mixture of confusion and dejection. Rubble fell from the ceiling around him in a miniature, makeshift tomb. The ground gave way and he fell through a loud, dark abyss. He hit the ground, heard a sickening crunch and laid still.

Then, he was nothing.

* * *

Ripples of red and black flashed through the Phantom Thieves' vision as they passed between dimensions. The grungy, fantastical presence of the Metaverse peeled away like a layer of filth. Then, Joker was gone and Ren Amimaya was back.

He and his friends were deposited in Shibuya, Tokyo. Near the train station, a bit from the Scramble Crossing. The sky was cloudy, with patches of orange and pink. The day was winding down and the area was chock-full of residents heading home. A group of tourists gathered around the Hachiko statue, snapping photos.

"Finally done…" Ann moaned, resting herself against a nearby bench. "I'm beat."

"Good work, everyone." Makoto said, smiling. "With this, Yoshi's heart will definitely change."

"What's gonna happen because of it?" Ryuji asked. "Is he gonna confess like the others? Is our name going to appear on TV again?"

"Eh, we'll deal it when it happens." Futaba said, slumping next to Ann. Tremors ran down her thights and she shuddered. "Ugh, I'm so out of energy. Now I remember why we stopped out heists in the first place."

"Apart from our presence no longer being needed in society?" Yusuke offered. His body was the type of nutrition-thin seen across artists around the world, yet he was standing with his arms crossed with little sign of exhaustion.

"Well, yeah, but us being dead tired was also important."

"So, what about the Treasure?" Morgana said. "What is it now?"

The Treasure, once a metaphysical object, had transformed into something tangible in Ren's hands. A worn book, with faded covers and yellowed edges. Tentatively, Ren opened it. His friends gathered around him. A photo album greeted him, filled and well-used. They were all pictures of Yoshi. Yoshi eating fruits with his fellow countrymen. Yoshi hanging out with Mario. Yoshi celebrating the new school finally being built, the smiles of the children around him…

Ren shut the book. Dust flew from between pages.

"He's just all the others…" Haru remarked, her voice quiet.

"A man who tried to good, gave into temptation and careened down an evil path." Yusuke said.

"The same old story." Futaba remarked, frowning.

What else was there to say? Ren refused to feel sympathy for a creature that ruined so many lives without remorse. Pity, though? A faint sense of loss and sadness upon realizing what Yoshi could have been, had he resisted her primal urges, taken a different path.

There was no shame in feeling that.

In any case, their job his done. It was up to Master Hand for therest now. Ren cleared his throat and put on his best smile for his team.

"Good work today, guys. Let's go and talk with Master Hand." He said. He pondered for a bit. "Actually, before that, we should celebrate. We did just end a month-long heist, after all. Who wants coffee and curry?"

* * *

Across the dimensions, within the Smash Mansion, strange things were happening. Suspicious things. Things that involved Yoshi falling lethargic all of a sudden. It was so sudden; one moment he was knocking around skulls like the rest of his peers, the next he was snuggled in his bed, mumbling about how cold and sluggish he felt.

At first, everyone assumed he just caught a cold. It happened everybody; experience taught them not even literal incarnations of deities or demon slayers were immune to sickness. Give him some space, let Dr. Mario do the usual checkup and have the staff bring his meals to his room. It'd clear up in a day or two.

That didn't happen.

An entire week passed by and Yoshi remained in his slump. Oh, he got up to do his job, but the difference between the performance then and now was as clear as night and day. He skipped his usual outings and he began to miss crucial timings in his reactions during matches. His placement in the rankings fell, along with his fans' faith in him.

Speculation began, as it tended to be the case in the Smash Mansion. What on earth could be the cause behind Yoshi's state? Bad news at home? Mood swings? Did a lady friend break up with him? Oddly enough, Master Hand declined to comment. He brushed any questions off and told everyone to focus on their jobs.

A couple of days passed. All must come to an end, so surely Yoshi would regain his vigor and start bouncing and running about like his usual perky self by now? No. His movements remained sluggish, his pallor grew whiter and he ate less in favour of sleeping more. An invisible curse was seizing up every cell in his body and no-one knew what was happening.

"I'm fine." He complained to his concerned friends. "I just need some rest."

He fell unconscious onto the ground a second later. Mario and Luigi dragged him straight to Dr. Mario for a checkup.

There were signs of lack of sleep and nutrient deprivation, but the good doctor was unable to find a cause. In the end, he could only sigh, shake his head and assign energy-invigorating medication to the poor dinosaur. He needed good food, better rest and more time in the sun. Isabelle graciously volunteered for all three.

It all came to a head one evening.

The end of the first quarter of the year had arrived, bringing along a special dinner banquet. The kitchen staff had locked themselves in during the noon and worked around the clock to provide a banquet fit for heroes. Troughs of deliciously-smelling foods, lathered with exotic creams, sauces and spices from all across the worlds, were lined up on cloth-covered tables in the dining room. The traditional, organized layout was done away in favour of a more open space with room to chat and dance. Drinks of all colors and intensity were prepared by a calm-looking bartender. Smooth jazz flowed into the room through a set of ceiling speakers.

The Smashers arrived, grabbed their plates and sunk their teeth into the meal. Within minutes, the dining hall was filled with crunching mouths and delightful conversation. All in the mansion, Smashers, support staff and the administrators, were here except for one. Sad as it was, the Smash Mansion had gotten used to Yoshi not showing up. Life went on and it did so without him.

So, it was a pleasant surprise when he did show up. He staggered in halfway through the buffet, his expression clouded. He refused to look at anybody.

"Woah, look who it is!" Falco called.

"Oh, hey, Yoshi!" Fox said, waving with one hand, grabbing a pair of chicken wings with the other. "It's great you showed up! Glad we saved your favorite."

"I…" Yoshi began.

"Are you still sick?" Princess Peach asked, lifting him the hem of her dress and stepping forward to her friend, clearly worried. "You shouldn't push yourself."

"I'm sorry…" Yoshi continued, moisture gathering at the corners of his eyes.

"Um, you don't need to feel sorry." Peach said, sounding confused. "Illness happens to everybody—"

"It's all my fault!" Yoshi screamed. He flung himself to the ground in a position of prostration, head bowed. It made a gigantic thud that shook tables and rattled glasses. Mouths half-full of food ceased chewing and heads turned. Silence descended upon the room like a thunderstorm. A metal fork slipped from a set of fingers and clanged on the floor.

"I did it all. It was all my fault…" Yoshi sobbed. Fat, crystal-clear tears rolled off his reptilian eyes and made wet trails down his green scales.

"Y-Yoshi?" Fox approached. He faltered as Yoshi launched into another tearful cry. "It's all good, buddy. You don't have to feel guilty about feeling sick. Everyone was willing to help you…"

"Eh, not me." Wario called from the back, mid-way through picking his nose with a grease-encrusted finger.

"Shut the hell up, Wario." Fox growled back.

"I hurt so many people…" Yoshi continued, ignoring his fellow Smashers. Fox and Peach glanced at each other, the former shrugging his shoulders. Others in the back muttered and whispered. High up in the corner of the ceiling, a security camera whirred and swivelled towards the entrance.

"You, uh, didn't infect us with anything." Peach said. "Could explain what you did? We can help you."

"No-one can help me—no, no-one should help me!" Was Yoshi's only reply. "I committed so many horrible crimes!"

"Crimes?" Someone repeated.

"That time-out against Ness last week was pretty damn grimy." Captain Falcon mentioned, scratching his chin. "It's not illegal, though."

"He's not talking about actual crimes?" Pit said, "Like robbery, murder and such?"

Samus scoffed. "That's ridiculous. It's Yoshi. Get a grip."

"I swindled so many people. I abused the power I had for evil…" Yoshi ranted and slammed his palms against the ground, ignoring the crowd. If he didn't get his fellow Smashers' attention when he first arrived, he was gaining it now. There was a point where jokes came and finished, and Yoshi's breakdown had long since passed that. The sorrow and self-hatred leaking from his every word could not be denied.

A mixture of confusion, frustration and sympathy blended themselves and curled within Peach's stomach, as she walked over and steadied Yoshi to his feet. He smacked her away and stumbled back across the breadth of the entrance. Now, there was another emotion rising within her. It was…fear? Like the times before facing a tough opponent on Final Destination, like before meetings with advisors during an economic downturn, like being confined inside that space station on the moon with nary an ally in sight.

Why was she feeling this? What was her premonition, forged from years of political work, trying to tell her?

"It all started with that lady in Toad Town. I took her money and she fell into debt." Yoshi confessed. Peach's eyes widened. Several staff members, Toads, swivelled their heads around. Mario and Luigi pushed themselves forward, their expressions worrisome and tinged with a hint of desperation.

"Wait, what?" Fox said.

"Everyone snowballed from there. I cheated on my forms. I deliberately manipulated the Mushroom IRS. I stole the money meant for the citizens of the nation…"

"That lady in Toad Town…the one who fell into destitution out of nowhere" A shadow of horror crossed Peach's face. She stared at her friend, disbelieving. "And my kingdom's IRS. All the reports of fraud from the investigation. All the leads that seemed to lead to nowhere. All the victims hurt and revenue lost. Yoshi, you mean…"

"It was me, Peach." Yoshi whispered. "The root of it all was me. "

Peach staggered back, face white. Princess Daisy rushed over to support her best friend. The two royals looked at Yoshi, their gazes pleading for him to be quiet, not wanting that image of their cute little dinosaur friend to shatter into a million pieces. And yet, Yoshi would not stop. He could not stop. The Smashers could only watch, speechless yet fascinated, as words of misdeeds tumbled out of Yoshi's mouth with frantic fervor.

"I embellished the money for the Islands for my own gains. I bribed and cheated the political system there so I could remain in power. I condemned a political rival who only meant well. I destroyed the culture of the Islands with modern luxuries and degeneracies. What a failure I am to my name!"

"What the goddamn hell is happening?" Falco cried. It was like a car crash they couldn't look away. Revulsion, fascination and the desire in truth united as one.

"I rose through the criminal underworld and used my tax-evasion schemes for other criminals. I hid their dirty deeds in exchange for favors. My influence spreads across entire worlds and nations. That's how good I was at my crimes!"

"I heard those Rougeport Pianta goons hit it big all of a sudden." Bowser said, a flash of realization hitting him. "You can't mean…"

"Team Rocket's sudden revival…" Red, the Pokemon Trainer, began.

"The influx of body-snatching operations in the Middle East…" Snake growled.

"The sudden eruption of activity in the Space Pirates." Samus gasped. In the back, Ridley snorted and stomped out the back entrance.

"I'm connected to every single one of them. The higher-ups dance like they're own personal troupe of puppets because they owe me so much! It's maddening, isn't it! And yet, I did it all."

"Tax fraud…" Fox began. He quickly made the connection in hishead. "So, the target of the Phantom Thieves was you!"

"You gotta be kidding me…" Pit gasped.

"I'm both horrified and impressed." Bowser admitted.

"How did they make Yoshi do this without even coming here?" Samus said.

"Geez, not even Wario is this bad. Wario, for Gods's sake!" Captain Falcon exclaimed.

Yoshi's face was a wreck at this point. Snot, tears and even blood created filthy waterfalls over his reptilian skin. He lifted his face up for the first time since his breakdown.

"The Phantom Thieves made me realize all the wrong things I did. I saw my crimes in my dreams, except this time I was the victim in all of them. They replayed over and over again until I realized my wrongdoing. I deserve all that's coming to me and more."

He slammed his fists on the ground over and over, so forceful that the enamel cracked beneath them.

"Repent!" He screamed. "I must repent! I'm so very sorry for everything I've done!"

No-one knew what to say. They were all struck dumb. Eventually, they made the connection between Yoshi and a particular Smasher and turned to look at him. Surely, he would know how to break the ice and give Yoshi what he deserved, whatever that was.

Mario did not. His gaze bored into Yoshi's trembling figure. A solid minute passed, his expression stony, unchanging, brimming with a coldness as deep as the furthest ice. He then turned on his heel and strode out of the dining room. His brother followed.

And Yoshi sobbed.

* * *

The Smashers were no stranger to hype; it happened with every tournament and newcomer. But the revelation that one of the roster's original fighters, a very popular and beloved one at that, had actually been one of most notorious criminals across the worlds the whole time? And he had willingly confessed by the hands of these mysterious Phantom Thieves?

One had to feel sorry for Lucas. With the naivety of a child, he opened the door the morning after and promptly stepped into a star's worth of shining lights and a tidal wave of shouting voices. He shrieked, stumbled backwards and slammed the door behind him with a blast of psychic power, almost shattering the hinges.

Their numbers exceeded the thousands. Yoshi's various victims, men and women of all species and sizes, holding up signs and screaming vitriol at the gates. The law enforcement, holding back the crowd while simultaneously demanding Yoshi be brought out to face the full force of the courts. Surrounding them were the media, flashing cameras and crawling all over the controversy like cockroaches upon filth.

In short, it was a media storm of unprecedented proportions. Master Hand immediately declared an emergency lockdown. All Smashers were to stay inside until Master Hand and the PR team sorted it all out.

It was not an easy task. All who had even the slightest relation to Yoshi in the past had their integrity brought into question, which included the entire roster. Many Smashers did not take the accusations very well. Their supporters, even less so. The Internet exploded with virtual tongue-lashings dripping with rage and vitriol from both sides.

As for the dinosaur of the moment, he remained silent. Then again, it was hard for anybody to speak out when they're confined to their room with all means of communication shut.

That afternoon, Fox scrolled through his social media feed on his high-tech smartphone, shook his head and refused the urge to hurl the device into the nearby fountains. Damn news articles. They were popping up like mushrooms in a forest, their contents insipid and uninformed. Several of Star Fox's enemies had taken advantage of the situation to slander him and his crew. He felt like he should fire back at those hacks with the fury of Corneria's own sun, but Falco was already doing that.

Needless, he was not looking forward to the upcoming press conference in his home world.

"Are they still out there?" Red, the male Pokemon Trainer, said next to him, peering towards the horizon. One of his trusty Pokeballs bounced in his hand.

"Afraid so." Fox replied. "Nothing we can do about it."

Across the garden, past wrought iron barred walls, they could make out a group of muffled, angry shadows. It was past noon and the mob showed no signs of slowing down. All of them wanted their pound of flesh and Fox legitimately believed they would have tried to storm the gates if it weren't for Crazy Hand. The psychopathic god-being had zoomed out in the morning, cackling madly and eager for a fight. He was wrestled back by Master Hand, who then told the terrified crowd that while protesting peacefully was fine, for their own safety they shouldn't give the antsy Smashers a reason to fight back.

So now the Smashers had to deal with a constant background of angry voices. It wasn't the end of the world, but neither was it appreciated.

"Did you know that one of them let off a bunch of fireworks this afternoon?" Red grumbled. "It spelled out 'YOSHI NEEDS TO PAY' in bright yellow nights. It was cool-lookin', but it scared the bejeezus out of Squirtle."

"A whole bunch of them sent me hate mail." Fox replied. "Death threats, talking smack about suing Star Fox."

"What the heck?" Red said, scowling. "Why?"

"Because I know…knew Yoshi a long time ago." Fox said. "Considered myself his friend. Apparently that makes me guilty by association."

"That's real dumb!" Red protested. "You're the captain of Star Fox, damn it! The best bounty hunting group in the Lylat system!"

"Some people are just plain stupid." Fox said.

Red snarled, shook his head and put his Pokeball back on his belt, looking reluctant all the while. "Arceus, I almost regret coming back here."

Fox patted Red on the back. "The fans can do some real stupid things. When you've been in this scene long enough, kid, you get used to it."

"That ain't sounding like a good thing." Red said.

This spot in the mansion's garden was meant to be a place of relaxation, where Smashers could unwind in the outside air after a hard day's work. Fox and Red had wandered around the place, met up and decided to chat for the hell of it. Try as they might, they simply couldn't get themselves back into the old, comfortable routine. No jokes, no wisecracks, no ribbing about getting spiked by Marth off the edge of Final Destination.

The news of Yoshi being one of the worst criminals in the multiverse had irreparably damaged the atmosphere of the Smash Mansion. It was one thing to know that the King of Evil stalked the hallways. It was another to realize that the local cuddly best friend had blood on its hand and could plot your demise at any moment. It was a dark, filthy stain on otherwise unblemished record.

So they complained about the mob outside. It didn't make them happy, but it was cathartic nonetheless.

"How's Mario doing?" Red asked, nudging towards the back entrance of the mansion.

"Not good. Hasn't talked much, except to Luigi and Peach. He's been getting into a lot of fights lately. He's trying not to think about it, or he's releasing his pent-up anger through combat." Fox replied.

"He's gonna be okay, right?" Apart from a select few, Mario was liked to an extent by everyone in the Smash Mansion. Naturally, Red was concerned.

"He'll…yeah, I think so, eventually." Fox sighed, leaning back in his chair. He shook his head. "He's just grieving. He needs his space. Don't act like you're walking on eggshells around him, though. He won't appreciate that."

Red shifted in his seat. "I'm getting the impression you've seen this before."

"Falco betrayed me, once." Fox said.

"Wait, seriously?" Red exclaimed.

"Hard to believe, eh?"

"It's Falco. Of course I'm gonna doubt that."

"Left the team when the galaxy was at peace, when our jobs were running low, even though he swore he'd be my first mate forever." Fox stared into the distance, unfocused for a second. "It hurt back then. It hurt a lot."

A small grin formed on his face. Half-bitter, half-endearing. "But, he came back. I was struggling against Andross and out of nowhere Falco comes out of nowhere with his cocky grin and top-notch piloting. I'd be space food if not for him. I was happy, but also really mad at the same time. Gave him a good knock over the head for it."

"What happened after that?"

"For the longest time there always this tension between Falco and I, even if we tried to let things go back the way they used to be. Couldn't confide in each other as much as we used to. We're cool now, obviously, but the memory still remains, and it stings."

"So, you get what Mario's going through?" Red said.

Fox's mouth twisted. He shrugged his shoulders. "Kinda. Falco ran out of impulse. He regretted his decision and came back. He wasn't going behind my back and doing all sorts of nasty crap."

Red understaood. "And Yoshi's different. It's like if Falco was secretly orchestrating all the crimes Star Fox fought to stop…"

Fox nodded and sighed. "I don't know fully what Mario is going through, but I can still empathize a little."

"This is all such a damn mess." Red groaned.

"Tell me about it, kid…"

Across the garden, the petals of flowers swayed in the breeze. Another undecipherable chant exploded from the furious mob.

* * *

On the second floor of the Smash Mansion, two figures with silver hair and robes were sitting beneath a dim light. Behind them was a dry coffee pot, in front of them was a mountain of papers and within them their souls were dwindling bit by bit, second by second.

Master Hand burst through the aged door, fingers twitching, shouting in his booming voice.

"SIR ROBIN. LADY ROBIN. HOW IS THE PAPERWORK COMING ALONG?"

The male Robin lowered his head up from the desk, looking as if someone casted the entire contents of a Nosferatu tome on him.

"It's a quarter done, Master Hand." He mumbled.

"Honestly, it just keeps going and going." His female counterpart, whom Master Hand had termed Reflet, replied. Dark bags hung beneath her eyes and ink blots ran up the sides of her fingers. A small pile of used energy drink cans lay in the wastebasket at her feet. "The moment we think we've reached the bottom, it crumbles away and we see the rabbit hole dig down deeper. Pardon by English, but I am very, very dissatisfied with this."

"I APOLOGIZE FOR THE VOLUME. SINCERELY." Master Hand boomed, spraying ethereal spittle and knocking over a few papers with the force of his words. "DO YOU TWO WANT COFFEE? HEAVY BLACK WITH SUGAR AS ALWAYS?"

"Add some milk to mine." Reflet mumbled, scrawling something on her paper. She glanced at it again, cursed and grabbed some whitener.

"I'd rather lead the troops through the swamps during rainy season than this…" The male Robin yawned. His head hit his desk. His eyelids drooped. Master Hand floated over to him.

"WHAT WAS THAT, SIR ROBIN?"

"Nothing. Can I get a Byzantine pill, too?"

Yoshi's confession had led to a lot of red tape. Arrest warrants, evidence trails, confession reports and more. There was enough to fill up an entire harbor's worth of shipping containers. When the first reports arrived, Master Hand had immediately assigned the Robin duo to handle it all. Because who else was intelligent and enough to? Chrom? Bayonetta? Donkey Kong?

Oh, and the paperwork had an expiration date. Certain people were impatient, along with scheduling issues between the courts across the realms. The Robins understood that the victims neede recompense and closure and the faster it was done the better. That didn't help their pounding headaches and strained muscles. His fingers were going to cramp for weeks. How was going to hold his tomes in the arena now?

"WHAT IS THE VERDICT ON YOSHI'S IMPRISONMENT?" Master Hand asked. "ARE YOU ABLE TO HAVE HIM STAY HERE?"

"It's a difficult sell." Reflet admitted. "However, my male counterpart and I have found a loophole within the Mushroom Kingdom's laws that should allow you to detain him at the Smasher Mansion indefinitely. With luck, we can persuade the other nations to follow the same example."

"I PLAN FOR YOSHI TO PERFORM A LOT OF COMMUNITY WORK IN THAT TIME."

"Will they accept it?" Robin asked.

"THEY WILL. FREE LABOR IS FREE LABOR. IT WILL ALSO GIVE YOSHI A CHANCE TO RECONNECT WITH THOSE HE HAS WRONGED."

"I'm so tired I might as well ask this." The male Robin said. "Wouldn't it be easier to throw Yoshi to the legal jurisdiction of the other nations and have them deal with it? I know we house villains such as Ganondorf and Ridley here, but you took in them knowing who they are."

"YOSHI IS STILL A SMASHER."

"I would argue that his case is the first this organization has ever seen."

"THERE IS TRUTH IN THAT STATEMENT." Master Hand said. "HOWEVER, I STILL BELIEVE THAT YOSHI HAS GOOD IN HIM."

Reflet put down her pen. "You've known him longer than either of us." she said.

Master Hand hovered up a fraction, his version of nodding. "WHEN I FIRST MET HIM, HE WAS GENUINELY TRYING TO WIN THE PRIZE MONEY TO HELP THE YOSHI ISLANDS. HE MAY HAVE BEEN CORRUPTED BY HIS DARKER DESIRES LATER ON, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO BELIEVE THE KINDNESS HE SHOWED TO US WAS NOT ENTIRELY FALSE. I BELIEVE HE GENUINELY ENJOYED THE TIME HE SPENT WITH HIS FRIENDS AT THE MANSION HERE.

"IF CHROM COMMITED A CRIME UNBEFITTING OF A KING, WOULD YOU STILL STAND BY HIM? ACKNOWLEDGE HIS MISTAKES, BUT STILL TRY TO HELP HIM BECOME A BETTER PERSON? EVEN IF THE ENTIRE WORLD TURNED AGAINST HIM?"

"That…" Robin swallowed. "It would depend on the severity of the offence."

"YOU WOULD STILL TRY TO UNDERSTAND HIM, YES?"

Robin and Reflet glanced at each other. Robin fiddled with his pen and sighed, while Reflet fiddled with an object on her ring finger, before shaking her head. Master Hand had them there.

"NOW, PLEASE HAND ME THAT REPORT, REFLET."

"Yes, Master Hand."

* * *

The dimension of the Smash Mansion had social media. Unfortunately, the presence of inhuman creatures and otherworldly beings with world-ending powers didn't change a lot. It was just as toxic and reactionary as social media platforms in other worlds were.

**YOSHI FANS ON SUICIDE WATCH**

**No this can't be happening I'm literally shaking**

**Confirmed pedophile as well**

**Would still bang**

**OMG! I don't believe this! I regret everything! Literally going to burn all my Yoshi merch right now**

**Ackshually Yoshi's mentality is a sign of toxic masculinity and how its persuasive in the Super Smash Brothers tournament as further evidenced by (1/?)**

**Shut the fuck up you lot. The most important question is, does Mario know about this?**

**How can he not?**

**I still believe in Yoshi! It has to be a fake! It has to be!  
**

**Yoshifans, everyone. Not even once.**

**How dare you speak to me**

**Innocent before proven guilty! Innocent before proven guilty!**

**There is already an admission of guilty, you fucking wanker**

_**(500 replies and 324 images omitted. CLICK HERE to EXPAND)** _

The phone slammed onto the counter with a loud thunk. A tiny crack formed on the screen. Mario, dressed in his traditional blue shirt and red overalls, shook his head and pushed an empty shot glass forward.

"One more." He said.

"I think that's quite enough." Sheik, bartender-in-training, replied. Her ninja garb was replaced with a smart dark grey shirt and trousers, with a brown smock covering her front chest. She still retained her mask, along with the property of speaking through it without sounding very muffled.

"You don't get to decide that." Mario grumbled. "I said, one more."

Sheik sighed. She picked up the bottle of liquor, walked all the way over the other end of the counter, placed down the liquor and walked back.

"You ass." Mario groaned.

"Don't you think you've moped around for long enough?" Sheik countered. "I understand it was painful for you to have one of your closest friends be revealed as a massive criminal, but you aren't the only Smasher who has suffered betrayal. Not to mention, you weren't the only one affected."

"That's…"

"Luigi can't look at another Yoshi without paling. It happened when a fan asked him for an autograph." Sheik continued. "Peach still has nightmares in her sleep. Daisy told me so at breakfast. Did you know all that, Mario?"

"No." Mario said in a weak voice.

"And why do you think that is?"

Mario's head slumped on the counter. "Because I've been avoiding everyone. Damn it, why do you have to make so much sense?"

Sheik coaxed the shot glass out of Mario's fingers. He did not resist. "Luigi, Peach and Daisy are worried about you. So is Fox, Kirby, Pikachu, Ness…the list goes on. Even Bowser hasn't been in top form recently. Your absence has all affected us, Mario."

"I know." He said.

"And we all have to face reality, no matter how painful it gets." Sheik continued.

"I know."

"I think it's time you took a break from this little spot in our mansion, Mario."

Mario rubbed his bloodshot eyes. He moaned once more, then cringed at the scent of alcohol crawling up his nose. This was the first time he noticed it.

"You're right, Sheik."

He stared up at the bar ceiling, the brown wood and the hazy lights, and wondered. When was the last time had spent more than ten minutes with one of his friends in the past few days? What had his schedule degenerated into? Eat, get up, practice, fight a few matches and repeat; doing the bare minimum to get himself by. His conversations with his fellow Smashers barely lasted past a dozen words. His moustache was overgrown, his hair smelled of grease and his overalls hadn't seen a proper wash in days. It was no way to live and he knew it.

An ugly thorn in his heart relished shutting out the world, inhibiting his dark feelings and lashing out anyone who dared intrude. Yet, in that moment, with Sheik washing the pumps while watching his behaviour, his rationality won. This decadent attitude couldn't last forever. Yoshi's crimes weren't going to vanish. He needed to get up and do something with his life.

His phone buzzed. It was from Luigi.

 _Bro, are you okay?_ The message said.

 _I'm fine._ Mario replied, as usual. All his text messages over the past days were like this. There was a noticeable pause, the typing icon moving.

_Wanna go the usual place? They've got a special. It's your favorite._

His finger hovered over on the close button, ready to reject. Then, he thought for a moment. _Sure._ He eventually typed back.

_Really?_

_Is it a problem?_

_No, never mind, that's great! Peach said she was coming. Want to invite anyone else along?_

_Fox or Samus. Not Captain Falcon. I don't think I can stomach his loud attitude right now._

_Awesome! I'll see you at six-thirty at the usual place._

_Yeah, see you._

Mario put his phone in his pocket. He took out his wallet and placed two large bills on the counter. "Keep the change, Sheik. You deserve it for putting up with me over the past few days. And…thanks, Sheik. I needed that."

Sheik smiled beneath her mask. "No problem, Mario. You go and freshen up now."

Mario nodded back at her and left the bar, his heart feeling lighter than it had in days.

* * *

"Yoshi, I'm here!"

Yoshi sat on his bed, staring at his floor. The air was the cold, the lights off. The furniture was bare, most of his belongings taken for investigation. All he had were a few dusty books. He tried to read them, but the words simply bounced through his mind before exiting out the other side.

"I brought your food. It's beef stew!"

The faces of his fellow Smashers (would he even be allowed to remain as one?) flashed through his mind like a broken record. Vicious anger, deep betrayal, judging contemplation and even traces of pity. He was transparent, hollowed out and heavy as lead.

Master Hand ordered him to stay in his room, both as protection and punishment. It was fine. He deserved it. No-one wanted to talk to him anyway. No-one should talk to him.

Well, that wasn't entirely true. There was one exception and he simply couldn't understand her.

"You must be really hungry." Isabelle stepped towards Yoshi, holding a tray with a clear grey spoon and a steaming bowl. Chunks of hot meat and strips of carrots floated in the orange stew. She smiled as she placed the meal on his table.

"Eat up! It'll get cold soon." she encouraged.

She'd been attending to him ever since he was confined in his room. Bringing his meals, making sure he bathed properly, recommending books for him to read in his self-imposed house arrest. At first, he suspected Master Hand told her to attend to him and her usual friendly demeanor was simply being polite. But, she had long since crossed the line and ventured into the territory of genuine compassion.

It was incomprehensible. Isabelle, despite her demure nature and small stature, was one of the most knowledgeable beings in the Smash Roster. She knew what he had done and yet she kept coming back. Did she have no limits?

"You shouldn't be doing this, Isabelle." Yoshi said, sounding hoarse. A sentence he had repeated often. "Villager must have noticed. He's going to be so furious with you."

"Eh, I'll deal with him. " Isabelle said, still smiling. "Working with him for so long has told me all his weak spots, so convincing him will be a peace of cake."

"Why are you here?"

"Because you need to eat. You're not coming out, so someone has to make sure you eat." Isabelle replied. "Is something wrong, Yoshi?"

"Wrong?" Yoshi echoed. He jumped to his feet and slammed his foot against the ground. The furniture rattled. The contents of the bowl swerved and threatened to spill over. His hands clenched into fists and a loud, frustrated roar characteristic of his species escaped from his mouth. He stormed over to Isabelle until his shadow covered her body. She did not flinch.

"Of course there's something wrong!" Yoshi shouted. "You know full well what I did! Why are you helping me? Why can't you leave me the hell alone?"

"Someone has to!" Isabelle countered. "You're not helping yourself. Besides, I still care about you, Yoshi!"

"You're...you're not serious, are you?" Yoshi said, disbelieving.

"I am one hundred percent serious!" Isabelle fired back.

"I don't get it. I don't understand you, at all!" Yoshi wailed. "I did so many horrible things to Smashville. I set up that alcohol racket that nearly destroyed the town's working force. If it wasn't your interference, I would have had the entire town in my grip! And yet, in the end, so many lives were ruined. So many ruined families, divorces and even deaths were a result of my meddling. Why oh why, Isabelle, are you helping the person who nearly destroyed your town?"

Isabelle said nothing. Yoshi, having run out of steam, let his body slacken. His hands unfurled and his head drooped. The ticks of his old-fashioned clock echoed through the cell-like room. He waited and waited, each second a heavy eternity.

He felt a soft object rest itself upon his nose. He looked up and saw it was Isabelle's paw. There was pain in her look, yes, but also warmth and kindness. A part of him desired it, yearned for it, reached out like a prayer to a divine entity. A curl of shame burned in his chest.

"You're right, Yoshi. You did very awful things and I was very, very angry with you when I realized the extent of your actions." Isabelle began.

"Then, why…?"

"After you were confined here, I cooled down and went over what happened. You confessed everything, bowed to everyone and all but debased yourself. You didn't struggle when they came to arrest and confiscate all your belongings. After that and seeing your behavior lately, I've realized you were genuinely sorry for what you did. Does it make up for everything you've done? Of course not, but even still…"

Isabelle gave a shaky laugh. "I had a choice: stew in my own grudges like everyone else, or acknowledge your remorse and help you repent. While it was not a easy decision, I chose the latter. I suppose I'm not a very spiteful person. I don't believe that needlessly hating on a person, especially when they've expressed so much regret is a good thing to do. Perhaps there really is something wrong with me, but I don't care."

"I deserve this!" Yoshi choked out. "Why can't you—"

Isabelle interrupted him. "Master Hand told me he believes you weren't wholly faking the affection you showed to us, and I believe that as well. You have indeed committed heinous crimes, but I choose to believe that you are not irredeemable, which means I cannot stand idly by and let you waste away. I was taught to treat others the way I wish for them to treat me, and I refuse to compromise on that, even for you." Isabelle nudged the now lukewarm meal to him. "So please, eat and rest up, and let's have a good chat about what we can do next, alright?"

Yoshi fell to his feet, tears streaming down from his cheeks. This woman…! This unbelievable woman!

She was too good for him, and the rest of the roster.

* * *

The fateful day had arrived. It was time for Ren Amimaya to leave Tokyo behind, slip on the mask of Joker and jump into the world of professional ring-fighting as the newest member of the Super Smash Brothers' roster. As he drove his van down busy highways to the Tokyo airport, he couldn't help but muse on how much had happened over the last month. An attack from a gigantic hand, a heist involving an inhuman criminal and now he was being shipped to another world entirely. He was out of the frying pan from one trial and about to dive into another.

Not that he was complaining, he thought with a wry grin. If he had to choose between proving himself as the best and settling for a life of mediocrity, he would choose the former every single time. Spite had carried him to the top of his class. Determination had fuelled him to create his team and defeat the man who once wronged him. He intended to use that same determination was going to be used in the tournament.

His friends, with him always, were there to help him at the airport. They helped him unload his luggage and waved him off at the loading gate.

"You guys do know that you'll be heading off in a few days?" Ren said, amused.

"Yeah, but we'll miss you!" Ryuji said.

"Take care of yourself, Ren." Makoto said.

"Show them what the Phantom Thieves can do!" Morgana shouted, which came out a series of enthusiastic meows to the ordinary passers-by.

Ren nodded and walked through the gate. He was escorted towards a private jet. He boarded it, was greeted with a smiling, well-dressed attendant and giving a rather lavish menu. That attendant also had goat-like horns growing out of the side of her head. She poured him a glass of a sweet fruit drink and served him an array of expensive snacks. It occurred to Ren he was now an actual celebrity. He had to admit, he thought as he chewed on a chocolate, it had its perks.

The airport cleared the jet for takeoff. It soared briefly through the Tokyo sky before vanishing into a glowing, multi-color portal. Not a moment later, everyone around the world except the Phantom Thieves collectively blinked, and there was no evidence the private jet had ever existed at all.

* * *

"A press conference? At this time of the year. How unusual…"

"Is it a new Smasher? Please tell me it's a new Smasher!"

"Bah, after the last one, I wouldn't get your hopes up."

"BAN STADIUM!" Someone yelled from within the cramped auditorium. The person next to him quickly told him to shut up.

The conference hadn't even begun and already some in the crowd were beginning to lose it. It only spoke volumes of the cultural weight the Super Smash Brothers tournament held. Thousands of men and women were packed in an auditorium mostly used for political debates. The seats jostled with bodies and they weren't enough; a large number had to stand or even sit on the floor.

Harried security guards escorted VIPs to their spots. Reporters and their assistants clutched their passes around their necks, watching the stage with interest. Businessmen exchanged pleasantries, carrying business cards and watching for flaws within their competitors. High-tech cameras streamed the event to millions of viewers, their chats aflame with excitement.

High above, the Smashers sat in their own personal space. The usual cliques were there. The children rested at the front, holding their snacks and discussing the potential topic with fervor. The villains lurked at the back, their visages hidden in the shadows overcast from the stage lights. A cruel joke broke out and a round of deep laughter resounded. Residents of the Mushroom Kingdoms stuck together, Hyrulians lounged with fellow Hyrulians, the animals mucked about with the rest.

One thing was common: they were all observing the conference with great interest. Even the slightest change—new stages, rules or game modes—could tip the tournament scene on its head. A newcomer could herald the ascent of one Smasher while creating the downfall of another.

Yoshi was not present, surprising no-one. Master Hand had provided him with a livestreaming service for his computer. It was about the only part of the Internet he was allowed to access. Isabelle shook her head upon noticing. Her mayor tapped her on the shoulder, hurriedly changing the topic.

It seemed that the calm before the storm would last forever. But at long last, the lights dimmed. A spotlight shone on the stage as smoke and fanfare blew from the sides. Master Hand floated onto stage and the hubbub ceased. The crowd leaned forwards, their breaths held. The giant hand took a deep breath with a non-existent mouth and spoke to a microphone.

"WELCOME, ONE AND ALL, TO THIS VERY SPECIAL SUPER SMASH BROTHERS CONFERENCE. A GREAT NUMBER OF THINGS HAVE HAPPENED OVER THE PAST WEEK, BUT I HOPE YOU ALL STILL HAVE ENERGY TO CONSUME THE MYRIAD OF SURPRISES AND REVELATIONS WE HAVE PREPARED TODAY. I BET YOU WEREN'T ALL EXPECTING THEM SO SOON AFTER THE LAST CONFERENCE, WEREN'T YOU?"

A round of laughter and applause was the response.

Not missing a beat, Master Hand continued. "LET US START OFF WITH SOMETHING YOU WILL ALL FIND VERY EXCITING. SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN SET INTO MOTION FOR QUITE A FEW MONTHS. PREPARING AND FINE-TUNING IT UP TO THIS DAY HAS BEEN LABORIOUS AND EVEN IRKSOME AT TIMES, BUT NONETHELESS WE ARE STILL PROUD TO PRESENT IT TO YOU. THERE WILL BE A NEW ADDITION TO THE SUPER SMASH BROTHERS ROSTER."

Instant reaction. The hubbub returned , this time twice as louder and a dozen times more fervent. Comments and memes spewed within the depths of the internet like a volcanic eruption. It was moments such as these that made the Super Smash Brothers tournament so appealing and no-one dared entertain the idea of looking away. Master Hand waited for the commotion to die down, before waving himself towards the wall behind the stage.

"LET THE REVEAL COMMENCE! MUSIC: ON! TRAILER: BEGIN PLAY!"

The lights shut themselves off, a projector slide rolled down from the ceiling and a video played in its center.

For us, the readers, it was a trailer that was shown to us a long time ago, and one that we may have replayed over and over again out of sheer type. But for the Smashers and the crowd in the auditorium, they were given the pleasure of laying their eyes on it for the first time in their lives.

* * *

**Huh? Red?**

**interesting color choice. obviously a vampire lol**

**Take ur heart? Ehhhhhh**

**Sounds dope wtf**

**who are these guys their voices sound so bad**

**Shit taste confirmed.**

**Wait are these the Phantom Thieves?**

**No fucking way**

**Oh**

**Oh my god**

**OH SHIT OH SHIT**

**Vigilantes in smash CONFIRMED**

**All the speculation was right aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah**

**I FUCKING TOLD YOU BASTARDS**

**The entire NATION of LEAKERS out there**

**Praise the Phantom Thieves for taking down the evil Yoshi!**

**Redemption for Yoshi MonkaS**

**Kreygasm Kreygasm Kreygasm PPMDKreygasm**

**Kitaaaaaaa! They're here wwwwwwwwwwww**

**JOKER LOOKS SO HANDSOME OH MY GOD**

***internal fangirl screaming***

**What brand of sorcery is this?**

**i don't know but it looks cool**

**Money match with Ganondorf WHEN?**

**I WANT TO BUY ALL THEIR MERCHANDISE**

**JOKER CONFIRMED FOR NEXT SMASH CHAMPION!**

* * *

Simply put, the trailer was fantastic. The animation, soundtrack, direction were all on point. Then there was the contents themselves.

So much hype, so much noise. There was joy from the fans, rage from the non-believers and speculation ran abundant. It was truly another magnificent addition to the Super Smash Brothers saga. The applause returned in full force, some even standing up to shout their excitement away.

Suddenly, mist swept across the stage. A shadowy figure sauntered towards the front, its golden eyes pierced the gloom, sending shivers down the spines of those watching. It reached to its face, pulled away and unleashing a blue inferno. The figure laughed, sounding young and full of vigor, and the mist was swept away. Joker now was at the center of the stage, Arsene floating behind him, the spotlights shining down around him.

"Leader of the Phantom Thieves, Joker, at your service!" he proclaimed, bowing once and smirking. "I am the one who steals the hearts of villains and stops their evil deeds! Now that I'm here, this show can finally begin!"

He winked towards the audience, causing another round of cheers. Arsene, satisfied, cackled madly and vanished back into the nothingness. Master Hand gestured to the young man.

"INTRODUCING OUR NEWEST FIGHTER: JOKER OF THE PHANTOM THIEVES! HE ORIGINATES FROM TOKYO, EARTH, AND IS REPUTABLE FOR TAKING DOWN MULTIPLE HIGH-PROFILE CRIMINALS, INCLUDING YOSHI HIMSELF."

"So he was the one who sent the calling card…" Someone in the crowd muttered.

"He's handsome. Definitely got the pretty scoundrel look down pat." A woman said, tapping on her phone.

"He got Yoshi to confess without stepping foot here? Damn, he must be real good."

"That's it! I don't care how bad this guy is. I'm watching all his matches!" A young boy said.

"He would be perfect to sponsor our new brand of shoes!" A businesswoman trilled.

"JOKER, THANK YOU FOR INTRODUCING YOURSELF." Master Hand said. "IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY?"

Joker took the microphone and turned to the audience. "First of all, it's a big honor to be up here. Pleased to meet you all, everybody. I bet you are all wondering how I got Yoshi to confess. You already know about the calling card, but as for the rest of our methods? Sorry, not sorry, but they're a secret."

"Aw, come on!" Someone shouted from the audience.

"I didn't see myself as a professional fighter, much less an interdimensional one, but as my own adventures have taught me, life is this crazy, inane force that puts you to places you've never even comprehended before." Joker said, chuckling a little. "I'm very grateful to Master Hand and the rest of his colleagues for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. In any case, I look forward to getting to know all my fellow Smashers, competing with them in matches...and ultimately defeating them all in the end."

"What a cocky little brat." Bayonneta smiled, her tongue trailing over a lollipop. "My, my, I think I like him."

"Hmph. Let's hope his confidence matches his strength." Ike said, crossing his arms.

"Why do I feel like taking my team and bodying him on FD?" Red wondered.

"That magic is unlike anything I've seen before." Reflet scribbled in a notebook and chewed her lip. "Through what conduit is it channelled?"

"THANK YOU JOKER." Master Hand said, "TO FINALIZE YOUR INTRODUCTION, WE WILL PRESENT YOU A GUIDED TOUR OF THE SMASH MANSION AND ITS STAFF. TO EVERYONE ELSE, HIS SCHEDULE AND ASSOCIATED MERCHANDISE WILL BE AVAILABLE AT A—"

"Hold it."

Two solid words, spoken from voice that tolerated no adversity. They were a metaphorical gunshot that brought upon the silence. Heads turned up towards the Smashers' gallery. They saw Mario climb out of his seat and take a great leap into the air. He landed on the stage, the ground quaking and dust scattering from his impact. Luigi gave a silent cry of shock, Peach put her hands over her mouth and Bowser turned his head and snorted embers from his nose.

"Before we formally accept this newcomer, I, Mario Mario of the Original Eight, need to clear something up, Master Hand." He declared, loud and powerful.

"AND I ASSUME YOU CANNOT WAIT FOR ANY LONGER?" Master Hand replied, his tone neutral.

"That is correct." Mario said.

Master Hand considered for a moment. "VERY WELL. VOICE YOUR GRIEVANCES HERE. A CONFRONTATION WITH YOU WAS INEVITABLE ANYWAY."

"Thank you. I now wish to discuss Joker's last target." Mario said. "Am I understand that you were aware of Yoshi's crimes the entire time?"

"THAT IS CORRECT, MARIO." Master Hand responded.

"Then why did you not tell us?" Mario demanded, "Me, Luigi, Peach, Daisy, even Bowser; all the men and women from Mushroom Kingdom and its surrounding lands? Yoshi was a resident of our world so why we were not kept in the loop?"

Master Hand considered for a moment. "YOU ARE UPSET, AND YOU ARE RIGHT TO FEEL THAT WAY. MY REASONING FOR KEEPING YOSHI'S ACTIVITIES A SECRET IS BECAUSE I HAD BEEN COLLECTING EVIDENCE PRIVATELY FOR QUITE SOME TIME. IF YOSHI CAUGHT WIND OF IT, HE COULD HAVE SHIFTED HIS OPERATIONS ELSEWHERE, OR EVEN GONE AS FAR TO TRY AND DESTROY THE EVIDENCE."

Mario glared at the giant hand. "Luigi, Peach and I could have kept it a secret and you know it."

"I KNOW. YET, I DID NOT WANT TO TAKE ANY CHANCES. THAT IS WHY I DECIDED TO ALLOW AN OUTSIDE AGENT TO INVESTIGATE. JOKER, BEING A RENOWNED SPECIALIST EXPERIENCED IN REFORMING CRIMINALS, AS WELL AS A TOP ROSTER CANDIDATE, WAS THE PERFECT MAN. STILL, I UNDERSTAND THAT IS NOT A GOOD ENOUGH EXCUSE, SO LET ME FORMALLY APOLOGIZE FOR MY MISCONDUCT TO YOU AND YOUR FELLOW MUSHROOM KINGDOM RESIDENTS."

He sounded as remorseful as a gigantic, booming hand could be. Mario nodded. It was the best apology he was going to get considering the circumstances. That didn't mean he was happy about it. Nor would Master Hand would face many consequences for what he did.

"You. Joker." Mario said, turning around.

Joker held his classic, cocky smirk. "And what of me?"

"You and I are having a talk. Right here and now." He shot a glance back at Master Hand, who acquiesced and floated out of the way towards the side of the stage. Mario nodded again, before striding right up into Joker's face.

"How difficult was it for you to take down Yoshi?"

Joker glanced towards Master Hand. The being gestured back, granting a silent approval. "Oh, it wasn't that difficult. Just time-consuming. Apart from being a literal dinosaur, taking him down wasn't anything we hadn't done before."

"Well, aren't you confident? Let me state that I, Peach and the other Mushroom Kingdom residents and allies are very grateful for you for exposing a major criminal that plagued our nation for years. Now, our economy can stabilize and heal. That being said…"

He stamped his foot on the ground. "Even after everything that's happened, I still consider Yoshi my friend. And there's still a part of me that's furious that one of my friends was broken into tears by you."

Joker kept silent. This wasn't entirely unexpected. He didn't think Mario would be this forceful about it, though.

"Someone has to teach the new guy how things work around here, and it might as well be me. You and me pal, on Battlefield tomorrow, seven minutes and three lives, no johns whatsoever."

Dead silence. Then…

"Oh, shit!" Captain Falcon roared from high up.

"Mario has gone insane!" A member of the audience shouted.

"Oh my dear god!" A reporter with grease-slick hair and in a beige suit whispered fervently. He took out a phone and began dialling a number with all the energy he could muster. "This is a big news! I can't believe this is happening!"

From what Joker had heard of Mario from the promotional material, he was a happy-go-lucky hero beloved by all. But the one standing in front of him was no longer Mario, the beloved plumber of the Mushroom Kingdom. This was Mario the tryhard, Mr-fucking-Nintendo, and the first fighter in the entire Super Smash Brothers roster.

A lesser man would have backed down. But Joker had fought corrupts politicians, demons from the bowels of hell and even gods. And he certainly hadn't impressed Master Hand, defeated Yoshi, travelled between dimensions and come all this way onto this stage to give up.

"I didn't expect people were this eager to test my might!" He announced, cackling. He reached and grabbed Mario's hand in a firm handshake. "Mr. Mario, I accept your challenge. May the best man win!"

Mario clenched down on his grip, flames dancing in his eyes. The audience howled.

* * *

And the next day, in a certain commentator's booth...

" _I'm Lakister!"_

_"And I'm Toad!"_

" _And we're your commentators for today's Super Smash Brothers tournament scene!"_

" _So Toad, who have we got today?"_

_"First up, we have the newcomer fighter Joker. He's the leader of the vigilante group The Phantom Thieves and was instrumental in exposing Yoshi's crimes to the worlds. His methods and powers are a big unknown, so we're all very excited to see how he fares."  
_

" _We've seen him summon some kind of demon from his body. Could he possibly have a relationship to the previous Smash 4 all-time champion, Bayonetta? Perhaps, a familial one?"_

_"Bayonetta having a kid? That's even scarier than her record last season! Anyway, as for his opponent, it's the hero of the Mushroom Kingdom, Mr. Nintendo himself: Mario Mario!"_

_"Mario, huh? This feels weirdly symbolic. The first fighter going up against the newest one, eh?"_

" _Yes, indeed! So, Lakister, why don't you go over Mario's record over the years?"_

_"Well, Toad, Mario overall has done pretty well for himself. He initially had a good start in first ever season, coming 5_

_th_ _out of the first twelve. He struggled a bit in the Melee and Brawl eras, never as dominant as Fox or Meta Knight, but he seemed to really find his stride in Smash 4. We saw him take a good amount of tournaments in the previous season, beating top contenders such as Diddy Kong, Sheik and Samus. By the end, he was ranked 10_ _th_ _in the entire roster. Not bad for a plumber who got as low as 35_ _th_ _in Brawl. I'm really excited to see how the era of Ultimate will favour him."  
_

" _You think Joker's got a chance against this crowd favorite?"_

_"Damn, Toad, that's the million coin question, isn't? We all know Mario's setup: forward aerial, Mario tornado, the Cape of Doom and all the powerful moves in his arsenal. He's the very definition of simple yet effective. No flash or tricks, just sheer power wrapped in a straightforward package. On the other hand, Joker's a complete wild card. Who knows what techs this trickster's got up his sleeve?"_

" _Everyone's wondering about that demonic being he showed on the stage. What did Master Hand call it? A Persona?"_

" _It sure looks frightening. Question is, will it be able to stand up to a right hook to the nose? We'll find out today."_

" _Man, the stadium is jam-full. So many people want to see this newcomer strut his stuff. I saw a mile-long line as I went in today."_

" _Waiting in that must be hell."_

_"The benefits of being VIP, eh?"_

_"You got it, buddy."_

_"And it seems like the fighters are ready. Joker on the left, Mario on the right. Battlefield, three stocks and seven minutes, no items and no johns. Let's watch some Smash, everybody!"_

* * *

The skies were clear and the air was cool. The crowd in the stadium was an inferno. There were team colors draped around necks, makeshift signs in cardboard and cloth and totems of good luck clutched in sweaty hands. Fans slugged alcohol and chomped down snacks while their neighbors excitedly discussed upcoming matches. It was an storm in physical form, overflowing with sound and energy.

Within the center of the stage lay a platform suspended in thin air. A spark of light burst to life in its center. It expanded until it formed a gigantic, translucent bubble that almost touched the edges of the stands. The crowd ooh-and-aahed as lights and shapes took form within.

Battlefield, a stage consisting of three platforms positioned in a triangle and suspended in mid-air beneath a flat plane. Designed since the Melee era, the stage had stuck as a classic and was a decent neutral pick for starting off. Its first mechanical, sterile iteration had been received favourably and it had only grown more and more organic and lively over time.

Joker took in the scene around him. He was on the far end of a floating platform lit up by glowing lines, pockets of ruined architecture around him. A lump of aqua crystals stuck out of the ground next to him and beside it a torn crimson banner floated from a rusting pole. On the other side was half an archway overrun with mosses and ferns. A gigantic waterfall roared in the background, spraying water vapor into the air.

He turned his head to the side and noticed the platform was above a massive dip. In the skies were dozens of floating fortresses. A wave of nostalgia struck him. It was just like facing Master Hand in that space-faring dimension. Did he create this stage as well? His powers were truly immense.

A green pipe popped up from the ground. With a loud 'Yahoo!' Mario jumped out of it. He saw Joker, tensed and put his gloved fists up. Joker returned with a smirk and went straight for his mask, magic already pulsing through his system.

Outside the pocket dimension, a large screen lit up with names and poses of the two fighters. MARIO VS JOKER. Many hollered the red's plumbers name.

"Mario, Mario, Mario!"

"Do the forward aerial!"

"Don't lose to this upstart, bro!" Luigi called.

"Mushroom Kingdom and allies represent!" Daisy shouted, "Kick his ass, Mario!"

"We're all cheering for you!" Peach cried, shaking a pair of red and white glow sticks.

However, there were an not inconsiderable amount cheering for this stylish newcomer.

"So cool!"

"Good luck out there, Joker!"

"Steal this win!"

"Better you than Mario!" Bowser roared.

"This guy beat Yoshi, right?" Falco said, grinning. "Hey, I'm gonna put fifty on this rookie. Let's see how far my luck goes!"

And up in the VIP booth, a place far up yet visible to all, a certain group of vigilantes were displaying their enthusiasm for the entire Super Smash Brothers community to see.

"Kick some ass, Joker!" Skull shouted.

"You can do it!" Panther followed up, holding up a large cardboard sign.

"Show the world what the Phantom Thieves can do!" Mona called, jumping up and down on the spot.

"Our blessings are with you all the way!" Fox called.

"Fight on, Joker!" Queen raved, fists pumping in the air, a brilliant smile on her lips. "Remember what you've learned and don't give them an inch!"

"Smash that plumber to bits!" Noir shouted, causing several staff members to back away from her.

"3…" The announcer boomed. "2…1…"

Back within the pocket dimension, in that split second, Joker's entire being flooded itself with red-hot anticipation. His smirk grew and became voracious, an expression of one who had sauntered onto the battlefield and relished its thrills.

Like he said, this was indeed an unexpected path in his life, but it was one he was prepared to welcome with open arms alongside his strongest counterattacks. Past this match with Mario, there were no doubt many challengers and trials awaiting him, ready to throw everything they got and watch if he had the guts to back it up.

Bring it on, he thought with a vicious grin. Let them throw everything at him. He might falter at first, but one day he'd crush them all!

"Fight!" The announcement roared.

Mario charged forward, Joker rushed to meet him and a fresh new chapter in Super Smash Brothers history began.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's over. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and thank you for coming this far with me. I'll let you in on a secret: I hadn't completed a story in a very long time before this. Started a lot, but never dredged up the motivation to finish them. I'm really proud to have finally achieved this goal of mine.
> 
> As usual, feedback/constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated.
> 
> Some notes:
> 
> This got way too serious for a story initially about a meme. Maybe I should add the Drama tag?
> 
> The title was something I came up in five seconds before pressing the submit button.
> 
> I realize Snake would probably have a lot of insight about betrayal and how it can affect someone. However, I haven't played any of the Metal Gear games beside V and Rising so I don't know much about him. Hence why he didn't appear a lot.
> 
> I also haven't played any of the Animal Crossing games, so Isabelle's personality was based off what I saw from her trailer and fanart. Maybe my version is super OOC…
> 
> I haven't actually played Fire Emblem Awakening (but I did play 6 and 7). Robin seems like a rational guy/girl though.
> 
> Isabelle's speech took forever to edit (and I still think it could be better).
> 
> My interpretation of Joker is that he's a smug dude, but shifts into professionalism when the time comes for it. He still loves styling on people, though.
> 
> Yoshi's Shadow was based around Al Capone, a gangster who despite committing a fuckton of crimes was only ever convicted for fiddling with his tax. Yoshi's Palace is obviously based off the Prohibition-era Chicago. His transformed body is basically an evil T-rex with an evil Skeleton Mario riding ontop.
> 
> Why is Sheik a bartender? I don't know. Still, the look fits her.
> 
> My favourite parts of writing this story were the first chapter, Bob and Frank and the conversation with Fox and Red.
> 
> Makoto is best girl. Don't @ me.
> 
> Finally, will I write more Super Smash Brothers fanfiction in the future? I'll have to see where my inspiration takes me. Until next time, everyone!


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